Recycle your Christmas Tree
December 28 through January 15
CARRS/Safeway stores in Anchorage, Eagle River and Palmer
Alaskans for Litter Prevention and
Recycling (ALPAR) in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services, and CARRS/Safeway is hosting free Christmas tree recycling from December 28, 2022 through January 15, 2023. Live Christmas trees can be dropped off at Anchorage, Eagle River and Palmer CARRS store parking lots. Look for the signs and barriers.
Stay on Santa’s good list (avoid the naughty list) – abide by these rules:
• live trees only (no wreaths)
• trees should be free of all decorations, lights and plastic bags
• place trees in designated areas only
Need help? If you live in the MOA, you can have your tree picked up by a youth group for a small donation/optional fee – just call (907) 868-8899.
Christmas trees are recycled into wood chips and distributed to local nonprofits and agencies for trail cover, erosion control and fragrant mulch for landscaping. Christmas tree recycling has been a tradition in Anchorage since early ‘90s. Last year, residents recycled 3,371 live trees.
Recycle holiday string lights and bulbs for free in Anchorage (Dec 28 – Jan 15):
• Anchorage Recycling Center: 6161 Rosewood Street (bins are open 24-hours)
• Total Reclaim: 12050 Industry Way, #10 (drop off in lobby 9am-4pm weekdays only)
Cardboard and mixed paper can be recycled at Anchorage Recycling Center, or the Anchorage Regional Landfill, or Eagle River High School until 12/30/22
Thank you to ALPAR and major sponsors: CARRS/Safeway, Tall Trees, Alpha Media, Total Reclaim, WestRock, and the Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services.
Recycling - What Goes Where?
Below is a list of common and special recyclables. Ensuring that we recycle these items is of the utmost importance for our community.
Major Recycling Drop-off Centers
Anchorage Regional Landfill: 15500 Eagle River Loop Road, Monday through Saturday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Please be advised, ARL's recycling bins fill quickly. SWS works diligently to keep them available to the community during open hours. When the bins are full we must divert recycling customers to WestRock Recycling Center (information below) due to the safety concern of materials on the ground and overflowing out of the bins. Please be patient with our staff if you are diverted to WestRock. Thank you for keeping recyclable materials out of our landfill.
WestRock Anchorage Recycling Center: 6161 Rosewood Street, Drop-off open 24 hours, 7 days a week. (WestRock is not operated by Solid Waste Services.)
ALPAR Recycling Sites
COMMON ITEMS
Aluminum Cans (rinsed)
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Additional drop-offs: Inlet View Elementary, CARRS Aurora Village, Northwood Elementary, CARRS Jewel Lake, Mears Middle School, Lake Otis Elementary, CARRS Abbott, CARRS Muldoon, Wonder Park Elementary, CARRS Eagle River
Aluminum Foil (clean)
Drop-off only at Anchorage Recycling Center
Cardboard (flattened)
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Food Scraps
Central Transfer Station (May through October)
ANCHORAGE COMMUNITY COMPOST DROP-OFF - CLICK HERE
CURBSIDE COMPOST PICK-UP (PINK CARTS) - CLICK HERE
Glass bottles and jars
Only accepted at the Anchorage Regional Landfill and WestRock Anchorage Recycling Center.
As of May 2022, SWS took over glass for recycling and processing.
Grass Clippings
CURBSIDE COMPOST PICK-UP (PINK CARTS) - CLICK HERE
American Landscaping - 760 E 120th Ave, (907) 563-3804, FEES APPLY (typically open April through October call for more details).
Mixed paper (cereal boxes, junk mail, office paper, magazines, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, paper grocery bags)
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Newspaper
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Additional drop-offs: Inlet View Elementary, CARRS Aurora Village, Northwood Elementary, CARRS Jewel Lake, Mears Middle School, Lake Otis Elementary, CARRS Abbott, CARRS Muldoon, Wonder Park Elementary, CARRS Eagle River
Plastic bags
Accepted at all Carrs grocery stores
Plastic bottles - #1 PETE
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Plastic jugs/bottles - #2 HDPE
Automated Curbside Pick-up & ALL Major Drop-off Centers
Steel/tin cans (rinsed)
Automated Curbside Pick-up.
Drop-off at Anchorage Recycling Center & Anchorage Regional Landfill.
SPECIAL ITEMS
Appliances - fees apply
Appliances such as washers, dryers, fridges, freezers, hot water heaters and stoves may be brought to CTS and ARL for recycling.
*Refrigerators and freezers are accepted at CTS and ARL for an additional $25.50 charge, per each unit, which covers the removal of the CFCs (Freon).
Commercial entities must take refrigerators and freezers to the Anchorage Regional Landfill.
Auto batteries - fees apply
Central Transfer Station & Anchorage Regional Landfill (1st battery free, 2nd + $5 per battery)
Cooking Oil (less than 5 gallons)
Central Transfer Station Household Hazardous Waste (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) & Anchorage Regional Landfill Household Hazardous Waste.
Cooking Oil (more than 5 gallons)
Alaska Waste Commercial Collection, (907) 563-3717
Construction & Demolition Debris - fees apply
Central Recycling Services - 2500 Railroad Ave, (907) 272-8785
CFL Bulbs
Central Transfer Station Household Hazardous Waste (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) & Anchorage Regional Landfill Household Hazardous Waste
Electronics - fees apply
Total Reclaim - 12050 Industry Way, (907) 561-0544
Batteries & Bulbs - 910 W International Blvd, (907) 770-6110
Scrap Metal
Central Recycling Services - 229 East Whitney Road, (907) 748-7400
Alaska Scrap - 720 E Whitney Road, (907) 277-2727
WOTC - 8820 King Street, (907) 344-1133
Anchorage Recycling Center - 6161 Rosewood Street, (907) 562-2267
Used Oil
Central Transfer Station (5 gallon limit) & Anchorage Regional Landfill (5 gallon limit)
Wood Waste
Disclaimer: This listing is for informational purposes only, and Anchorage Solid Waste Services does not purport to endorse any private business or agencies listed above. Prices, operating hours, and acceptable materials are subject to change. Please contact individual locations if you have further questions about their policies, prices, locations, or hours.
If you are a recycling enterprise and wish to be included on this list please contact SWS Customer Service at 343-6250.