Doubling down on trash

Anchorage is doubling the size of its cleanup crews across city parks, trails, and public land. The Anchorage Parks and Recreation Healthy Spaces team is adding 10 new workers to remove litter, illegal dumping, and debris left behind at camps across the municipality.

Last year, crews hauled away more than 2.4 million pounds of waste from public spaces. The expansion is funded by a $4 surcharge at Anchorage Solid Waste Services facilities that took effect in January, rather than through property taxes.

The timing lines up with breakup season, when melting snow exposes trash that built up over the winter. Crews plan to hit known problem spots quickly before summer trail traffic picks up. Residents can report trash hotspots so crews can respond faster.