In early 2024 we recieved a generous donation for purchasing property at 980 Haines Highway. We made the purchase contingent on getting the necessary permits to be able to build our new Recycling Center. On August 20, 2024 we received the clear title to the
property. Since then we have completed Phase I of our building plan which was the site preparation. We are now raising funds for Phase 2, which is pouring the foundation, hopefully in the spring of 2025. We plan to construct the building in 2026 and move in by the end of that year. It is all contingent on finding funding and we are working diligently on grant writing and Capital Fund requests.
If you are interested in more detail, please email us at hainesrecycle@gmail and request a pdf of the Business Plan.
Phase One
Identification and purchase of property and site preparation:
We began and completed Phase One in 2024. We now have clear title to
our lot at 980 Haines Highway, all the necessary permits for infrastructure,
and have completed the site preparation.
Phase Two
The building foundation:
We anticipate pouring the foundation in the late spring of 2025 as soon as the ground is warmed up and dried out. We are seeking Capital Funds and other grants. This is the time to “cement” your support to Haines Friends of Recycling.
Phase Three
Construction of the building:
The building will be from a kit and has a footprint of 80 feet by 100 feet plus a covered collection area for recyclables. This will be the heaviest fund-raising lift. The current bid for this phase is just under three million. Currently we are talking with one foundation where we hope to be granted one million and are looking for additional funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Our hoped-for timeline is construction in the summer of 2026.
Phase Four: equipment:
Because all operations will be inside, we need an electric forklift to replace our aging and polluting skid steer. We have a grant application pending to cover half the cost of the forklift. We will also obtain a new baler to replace our current aging one.
Phase Five
Plastic up-cycling:
This is a very exciting part of our new Recycling Center. We had a demonstration project in Haines in September where Patrick Simpson of Alaska Plastics Recovery converted 3,500 pounds of post-consumer and marine debris plastic into “Grizzly Wood”, which is similar to TREX®. This was a major part of our research into how to most effectively up-cycle plastic. We have a pending grant proposal that, if awarded, will cover most of the cost of this phase. We hope to complete this portion of the project in early 2027.
Phase Six
Donor recognition and art:
The ideas here are still evolving. We live in a community with many outstanding artists and our intention is to partner with the art community for this phase.
Part of our plan is to have an interior wall that recognizes our donors, including individuals, businesses, foundations, and government agencies. Rather than having the standard etched names on tiles, we are considering how to use recycled and repurposed materials as the name plates for the “Honor Wall” of donors. The outside of the building will have an attractive mural on the highway side of the building. Around the entrance we will have planters and benches. The benches will be made of recycled plastic (Grizzly Wood). The planters will be made of Grizzly Wood or re-purposed dryer tubs like many of our local gardeners use as raised beds. We are also planning a water feature that uses an old pickup truck. The engine will hide a fountain and the bed of the pickup will be a planter bed. Our plans for our new state-of-the-art Recycling Center are exciting and will truly be something we can all be proud of. We will provide public education and school tours to share all we have accomplished so that other communities and future generations can see ways to reduce waste and recycle in their time and place.
Please join us in continuing your support to our project. Our mailing address is PO Box 822, Haines Alaska 99827.
If you have questions or would like a copy of our Business Plan, or have ideas where we can seek funding, please contact us at hainesrecycle@gmail.com or call (907)314-2209.