Alaska Cruise Lines Drastically Reduce Landfill Waste in Juneau
In a remarkable environmental achievement, cruise lines have significantly reduced the volume of trash they contribute to Juneau, Alaska’s landfill, as reported by KTOO. The 2023 Alaska cruise season witnessed a dramatic decrease in garbage disposal, with only about 250,000 pounds of waste being sent to the city’s privately managed landfill. This marks a reduction of more than 90 percent from the 3.3 million pounds disposed of in 2019, showcasing a substantial effort by the cruise industry to address waste management issues.
To put this into perspective, Juneau’s landfill typically receives 100 tons (approximately 220,000 pounds) of trash daily. The reduction means that the waste produced by cruise ships during the entire 2023 season equated to roughly one day’s worth of the landfill’s intake, compared to 2019 when cruise ship waste constituted around 16 days’ worth of garbage.
The significant decrease in landfill contributions from cruise ships can be attributed to the vessels opting to transport their waste to embarkation ports such as Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria, rather than offloading it in Juneau. This shift comes as part of concerted efforts by city and tourism leaders to collaborate with cruise lines in reducing the environmental impact of cruise tourism, especially considering the increasing number of visitors arriving by sea.
Efforts to minimize waste have included agreements between the city and cruise lines to limit the disposal of oversized, bulky items, such as mattresses and furniture, in Juneau’s landfill, which is facing a critical lifespan of just 20 years remaining. The remote location and unique geography of Juneau, accessible only by plane or boat and surrounded by natural barriers, have long made waste management a significant challenge for the city.
Alix Pierce, Juneau’s tourism manager, highlighted the importance of collaboration and coordination in achieving these environmental milestones. “What we’re doing is exciting, and it takes a lot of collaboration and coordination, but we’re making real change in our community,” Pierce told KTOO.
As the first cruise ship of the next season is expected to arrive in early April, Juneau and the cruise lines have further agreed to cap the number of large vessels in port each day to five, continuing their commitment to sustainable tourism practices and the preservation of Juneau’s environment. This initiative not only demonstrates a successful partnership between the cruise industry and local authorities but also sets a positive example for waste management in tourist destinations worldwide.