After a full summer of work at the Haines Recycling Center, HFR’s backlog of fish nets is now recycling-compliant, baled, and ready to ship. This major achievement took 2.5 years of work to consolidate and clean up the old nets while getting the word out to our fishing community about recycling changes. We learned in 2019 that the hanging twine as well as all lines must be removed for recycling, and we continue to collect nets as the word spreads. We’re here to help make fish net recycling accessible, affordable, and convenient for fishermen, but only properly stripped nets are accepted.
Thank you again to our community for so much help along the way: to the Borough for the $4000 grant award to ship nets for recycling; to AML for donating our fishnet storage van, a huge help in our progress; to the 45 volunteers who showed up for 473 hours to clean up nets during 18 work parties since May, despite hot sun, cold wind and rain, or bugs; to local businesses and Net Your Problem for donating door prize items for fishermen who brought nets to recycle; and to the fishermen, net builders and hangers, Haines Packing, and Net Your Problem for your support as we remodel the net recycling program. Everyone’s efforts contribute to HFR’s mission to reduce waste and promote recycling in the Chilkat Valley.
Please call Molly at 907-723-7182 for more information. And stay tuned for net recycling in 2022!
Molly Sturdevant, for Haines Friends of Recycling