2026 FNSB recycling survey Δ Unique IDThis is an anonymous survey about Recycling in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Please only complete this survey if you live in or operate a business / organization within the Fairbanks North Star Borough Please allow 7-15 minutes to answer a series of questions about your experience with waste reduction and recycling in FNSB, and to share your thoughts on how recycling should evolve in FNSB. Your responses are anonymous, although you will have an opportunity to identify yourself or your organization at the end of the survey if you choose to do so. Thank you for your time and your input.Respondent type(Required)Are you responding to this survey on behalf of a business / organization or individual / family? Family / Individual Business / Organization How long have you lived / operated in FNSB(Required)Less than a year1-5 years5-10 years10-20 years21-30 yearsOver 30 yearsLocation(Required)Within FNSB, are you located inside Fairbanks city limits? Inside Fairbanks city limits Outside Fairbanks city limits What is your primary transfer site? (optional)FNSB transfer sites are for residential use only and do not accept recycling other than automotive batteries and household hazardous waste (scrap metal, large appliances and automobiles are also accepted for recycling at the FNSB Sanitary Landfill). For your non-recyclable trash, what is your primary transfer site?Badger RoadChatanika (North site)Chena PumpEsterFarmers Loop EastFarmers Loop WestFoxMoose CreekNorth PoleSalchaSalcha River State Recreation Site (summer only)Solid Waste Facility (Landfill)Two RiversNumber in household(Required)12345678910More than 10Age range of respondent(Required)Under 1818-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465 or AbovePrefer Not to AnswerOrganization size(Required)1-56-1011-2021-3031-5050-100100-1000Over 1000Are you aware of the FNSB Central Recycling Facility (CRF)?(Required) Yes No Do you currently use the FNSB CRF? Yes No How often do you visit the CRF?(Required)Every day2 to 3 times a weekOnce a week2 to 3 times a monthOnce a monthLess than once a monthQuarterlySemi AnnuallyOnce a yearRecycling methods(Required)Please select all recycling methods your organization uses. FNSB Central Recycling Facility (CRF) Other local recyclers In-house recycling / backhaul program Other We do not recycle Whose recyclables are you dealing with?(Required)Please let us know from where your organization receives recyclable materials Select All Those generated by our organization Employees bring in their personal recycling to go along with our organization’s Customers can leave their recycling with us The general public can drop off recycling with us Who takes your recycling to the CRF? (optional) We take it ourseves A commercial hauler takes them We self-deliver and use commercial haulers How often does your business / organization use the CRF?(Required)More than once per dayEvery day2 to 3 times a weekOnce a week2 to 3 times a monthOnce a monthLess than once a monthQuarterlySemi AnnuallyOnce a yearEarly drop off (optional)Are you aware that businesses can call to arrange early drop off before the CRF opens to the public? Yes No Do you currently utilize early drop off? (optional) Yes No Are you aware of public tours of the CRF, Landfill and / or Green Star's Electronics Recycling Warehouse?(Required) Yes No Which facilities have you toured? (optional) None FNSB Central Recycling Facility FNSB Sanitary Landfill Green Star Electronics Recycling warehouse Fairbanks Community Food Bank Given that you were not familiar with the FNSB CRF before now, please rate the following statements: (optional)Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureRecycling is worth the effortKeeping things out of our landfill which don’t need to be buried is importantI would recycle given the correct information and opportunityI recycled in previous places I have livedNow that you know there is recycling in FNSB, which of the currently accepted materials might you be willing to recycle?(Required)The following materials are currently accepted at the FNSB Central Recycling Facility. Please click each of the materials you would consider recycling now that you know about recycling in FNSB. Aluminum beverage containers Batteries (non-automotive) Cardboard Electronics Eyeglasses Paper (mixed) Paper (office) Plastic #1 bottles and jugs Plastic #2 bottles and jugs Steel / tin food cans None Thoughts? (optional)Given your answer to the previous question, would you mind sharing your thoughts about recycling in general, and recycling in Alaska and the FNSB specifically? We would love to know why you answered the last question the way you did, Why have you chosen not to use the FNSB Central Recycling FacilityWould you mind sharing your reasons for not using the FNSB CRF, as well as any thoughts about recycling in general, and recycling in Alaska and the FNSB specifically? We would love to know your thoughts, All of the materials below are currently accepted at the CRF. Which do you recycle?(Required)Please click each of the materials you recycle at the FNSB CRF. Aluminum beverage containers Batteries (non-automotive) Cardboard Electronics Eyeglasses Paper (mixed) Paper (office) Plastic #1 bottles and jugs Plastic #2 bottles and jugs Steel / tin food cans If you could choose one material to add to those accepted at the CRF, what would it be? (optional)Thinking about how to divert more from the FNSB landfill, what one thing would have the most impact if we could add something to the CRF acceptable materials list? Examples might include: food waste / composting, other types of plastic, glass, tires, scrap metal, brush / wood, etc. What is at the top of your wish list?Thinking about your experience with the CRF and the facts below, please rate your agreement with the following statements:Some facts about the FNSB Central Recycling Facility: The FNSB CRF is located at 1855 Marika Rd. (off of Aurora) The CRF is open to the public Tuesday – Friday from 10-5:30 and Saturdays from 9-5. The facility is closed Sunday and Monday, and on July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Accepted materials may be dropped off for free from both commercial and residential users so long as they are in a 2-axle vehicle that is not a flatbed or box truck, or in / on a single axle trailer. Businesses can call to arrange early drop off between 8:30 and 10 Tuesday through Friday. The CRF averages over 100 vehicles per day coming through the two drop off lanes. Other than automotive batteries and household hazardous waste accepted at remote FNSB transfer sites, none of the material collected at FNSB transfer sites is recycled. The Landfill also accepts automobiles, major appliances and scrap metal for recycling. FNSB Transfer Sites are not intended for commercial / business use – FNSB residents only. All of the types of material recycled at the CRF must be brought to the CRF to be recycled. i.e. neither transfer sites nor City of Fairbanks, Ft. Wainwright and Eielson AFB hauling separates recyclable materials for delivery to the CRF. Ours is a do-it-yourself program, although there are commercial options for businesses (Golden Heart Waste Management, Alaska Waste, WeGenerative (small quantities only) and Fairbanks Compost Collective (food waste only and also available for residents). The CRF days and hours of operation are suitable for my needs.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe location of the CRF is convenient.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe layout of the CRF and dropoff process are simple and convenient.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureIt is easy to tell which materials go where.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe wait time is not excessive and I can get my materials dropped off quickly.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe drop-off lanes are clean, orderly and well run.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe staff is friendly and helpful.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureOther than the materials listed above, is there something you would like to see recycled in FNSB? (optional)Thinking about how to divert more from the FNSB landfill, what one thing would have the most impact if we could add something to the CRF acceptable materials list? Examples might include: food waste / composting, other types of plastic, glass, scrap metal, brush / wood, etc. What is at the top of your wish list?The future of the FNSB CRFThe last group of questions deal with the future of the FNSB CRF. The next page contains some facts about the current CRF, as well as a few statements about a potential new CRF. These statements are followed by the questions. Thanks so much for taking the time to help us see recycling through your eyes. The current CRF Opened in 2017 as a temporary facility. Located in a rented UAF warehouse. Insufficient throughput to accommodate recycling routes from City of Fairbanks, UAF, FNSB Transfer Sites, Ft. Wainwright or Eielson Only capable of staging 3 loads of material at any one time (7 separate materials baled – not including household electronics, household batteries, eyeglasses or steel / tin food cans none of which are baled) No conveyors / large-scale material handling capabilities. Two hand-loaded single-ram vertical balers circa late 1990’s and early 2000’s respectively FNSB owns a 2-ram horizontal baler capable of being fed via conveyor belt. It will not fit in the current CRF Over 100 vehicles per day average through 2 drive-up lanes with some days seeing over 200 vehicles Receiving, sorting and staging of residential and small-batch commercial recycling all done by hand in carts and super sacks Commercial loads dumped on the floor to be hand loaded into totes and staged to be hand-baled A new CRF Funded by the Enterprise Fund (not taxes) and potentially some Federal grants Scoping and design budgeted for this year (FY 2026) Construction in the FNSB Capital Improvement Plan for FY 2027 (starting July 1st 2026) Potentially co-located at current FNSB Sanitary Landfill The 2-ram conveyor-fed horizontal baler the borough already owns has 4x greater throughput than current two single-ram balers combined Higher throughput could potentially allow for recycling collection routes from UAF, Ft. Wainwright, FNSB Transfer Sites, City of Fairbanks, Eielson, etc. More marketable bale size will allow FNSB to compete more aggressively and recover more value from certain commodities Bale size and throughput could open the door for other materials to be diverted Sufficient storage space to ship out “pure loads” of each commodity could enhance marketability of commodities. Current premium is an extra $30 per ton for pure loads (meaning the container does not have to be re-sorted – it can go straight to the end user). Current CRF is only able to take advantage of this premium on two commodities due to storage limitations Equipment and conveyor movement of material should equate to many less man-hours per ton recycled Most of the following questions are not required; however we would greatly appreciate your input on as many as you care to answer. A Central Recycling Facility capable of processing recyclables from the entire borough is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureThe ablity to deliver recyclables to transfer sites or locations other than a Central Recycling Facility is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureCurbside collection of recyclables is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureI would pay a reasonable fee for curbside collection of recyclables.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureDiverting food waste and other compostable organics from the landfill is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureA new CRF should have enough storage space to allow the borough to maximize the cost reduction potential of each type of material accepted.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureIncreasing the types of materials we can recycle is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureUsing existing FNSB infrastructure wherever possible without sacrificing functionality is important in considering where and what to build for the next FNSB Central Recycling Facility.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureSupporting local uses / consumers of recycled material is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureYou indicated that supporting local uses / consumers of recycled material is important. Does that include times when a local consumer of recycled materials may not offer as much for the commodity as it could be sold elsewhere (meaning the FNSB would recover less money from the sale or delivery of that material, but the material would be put to use locally)?Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureMaintaining the current level of assistance during drop-off of recycling is important.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureI would be willing to pay a small fee to drop off my landfill trash if recycling remained as it is now (The FNSB CRF is free to businesses and residents when recyclables are dropped off in 2-axle vehicles which are not flatbeds or box trucks, or in single axle trailers).Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureI would be willing to pay a small fee to drop off my recycling.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsureKeeping businesses and residents well informed is important as locations, processes, materials and options change in the recycling landscape.Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agreeUndecided / UnsurePreferred communication channel (please select top 3)(Required)You indicated that Keeping businesses and residents well informed as locations, processes, materials and options change in the recycling landscape is important. What is the best method for FNSB and / or GSIA or others to make that information known to you? Email Text Television News Miner Radio Postal Mail Social Media Public Meetings Other Preferred TV / Radio stations (optional)Enter your email to receive updates about recycling from FNSB and / or Green Star (optional) Comments (optional)Please use the space below to enter any other comments, ideas, suggestions, complaints, compliments, etc.Identity(Required)Please select “yes” below if you would like to identify yourself or your organization; otherwise just click “no” below and then “Submit” to send us your input! Thank you again for taking the time to weigh in on this subject. We are grateful. Yes No Business / Organization name (optional)Name (optional) First Last Phone (optional)Email (optional) Share this: Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
