Solid Waste Solutions in Rural Alaska::
Additional Success Stories from Rural Alaska:

Village of Atmautluak

Contact:
   Billy Gilman
   907/553-5610
   epanrs@yahoo.com

Atmautluak's dumpsite is actually across the river and downstream. They operate a collection program in summer whereby none of the residents need make the journey and in fact, generally don't make the journey. This keeps people out of the dump and safe from its hazards, as it is an open dump. They operate a home-made burnbox there and the operator uses a proper smoke cartridge mask. With the collection program, residents do not load their own wastes, as they are kept away from the dump. In winter time, the collection program continues, but more residents do go there as they have access by snowmachine.

Atmautluak pays for the dump operation through Bingo receipts. The idea that they offer collection to everyone, even those that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it, and do so using their own generated revenues is something unique and extremely important from a public health perspective (i.e. keeping people away from the dump). They've been trying hard to improve their dumpsite. An aspect of their collection program is that they will be one of the first villages to use road mats for a site access road. They successfully applied for a Tribal open dump grant to fund replacing the boardwalk with something that won't require operation and maintenance monies. In terms of making do with what they have, besides building their own burnbox with old tanks donated from the school, they negotiated with Northland for an old connex to use as a shed at their site. Without any heavy equipment, or landing at their dump, they made sled runners out of spare metal from a van, and were able to tow the connex from town across the river with snowmachines in winter. They also operate a recycling program that includes keeping used clothing at the Tribal office for people to make use of.