Backhaul Alaska

09/09/2026

FREE Training Opportunity in Kodiak!

Join us for a 3-day Backhaul and HazMat Regulations Training in Kodiak from September 23-25, 2026.

Participants will receive training in Backhaul Best Practices, USDOT Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), Universal Waste Management, PPE, and proper labeling and placarding materials, storage requirements, and shipping paperwork.

Upon completion, attendees will earn certificates in:

- USDOT HazMat Regulations
- Universal Waste Management
- Backhaul Best Practices

Whether you are new to Backhaul or looking to refresh your knowledge, this training offers practical skills that can be applied directly to your community.

Location: Kodiak, Koniag Conference Room, Near Island, Kodiak
Dates: September 23-25, 2026

For questions, contact Reilly Kosinski at 907-444-2945 or [email protected]

09/08/2026

Between fieldwork, collection events, and trainings, our social media has been a little quite lately. We are finally getting a chance to share some of our summer highlights!

Last month, our staff had the opportunity to be a part of the Advanced Transforming Trash Training in Nome with environmental staff from across the region. Over three days, participants received hands-on training on backhaul, Freon recovery, composting, disaster debris planning, how to manage household batteries, and more.

Even with a last-minute change of plans, we adapted and transformed Kawerak's unfinished recycling center into a temporary training space. Thanks to the Kawerak team, we were able to get a generator running, some buddy heaters for the cold, and a porta potty for those necessary breaks!

The result was an engaging, hands-on experience that allowed participants to build practical skills they can bring back to their communities.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the training a success. We were thrilled to hear how much participants enjoyed the training and appreciated their enthusiasm, and willingness to learn.

06/11/2026

Thanks to Anita's tireless efforts over the last year and a half, Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR), Lynden Transport / Alaska Marine Lines and Alaska Railroad have agreed to permit some electronics recycling shipments into the ALPAR program! Thanks to organizations like ALPAR and companies like Lynden and Alaska Railroad we will be able to keep the cost of recycling electronics as low as possible for Fairbanks North Star Borough and interior alaska communities participating in the Zender Environmental Health and Research Group Backhaul Alaska program.

This is the maiden voyage of what we hope will be a long partnership. THANKS ALPAR, LYNDEN / AML and AKRR!

05/26/2026

05/14/2026

Grant Opportunity!
Informational Webinar Next Week!
Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/aezqhi-6TUWYXmMDAMBfCQ #/registration

Funding Opportunity for Small, Rural Alaska Communities 🌿

Do you have an environmental health problem that might be affecting the health of your community or subsistence resources? Do you need funding to take the first step or to fix it?

Join us for an informational webinar on our new Healthy Environment Healthy Community Grant! Learn about how this EASY TO APPLY grant can fund your community to address its top health and environmental concerns!

Date: May 19, 2026
💻 Zoom Webinar

This statewide informational webinar will cover:
- Who is eligible
- What types of entities can apply
- How to get started with the grant process
- Grant purpose and types of projects eligible

Eligible applicants may include:
- Rural Tribal Governments
- Rural City Governments
- Rural Community Associations
- Tribal Consortia
- Non-Profit Corporations working with a rural entity
- Fiscal Sponsors on behalf of rural community entities.

Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/aezqhi-6TUWYXmMDAMBfCQ #/registration
Or scan the QR code on the flyer to register!

Contact Trisha Bower at [email protected] with questions.

05/05/2026

After several weeks of 24/7 training, learning, and hard work, our RACEJT participants have officially graduated!
Graduation night was a joyous, special celebration for our RACEJT participants. Surrounded by their families, community members, and supporters, our graduates were recognized for the hard work and dedication they’ve shown over the past several weeks.
We were honored to have respected Elder Mark Hiratsuka lead the ceremony by sharing his knowledge and inspiration that our educated graduates have become engineers building bridges for those come after them. We are so grateful also for our other featured ceremony speakers including:
Martha Anelon - BBNC Shareholder Development Training Manager (BBNC Shareholder Development)
Emma Pokon - USEPA Region 10 Administrator (U.S. EPA Northwest Region)
Tami Fordham - USEPA Alaska Operations Director
and Chandler Kemp - RACEJT Instructor and UAF Energy Efficiency Professor, Bristol Bay Campus (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

Thank you to all who attended the ceremony and made our graduates better realize their accomplishments. It was, as always, an amazing experience to see people set a goal and, difficult as it is, achieve it. fantastic feel-good experience to see people
As RACEJT Manager April Reed McCoy said in her remarks,
'Welcome RACEJT graduates to the club of Environmental Professionals here, in Alaska, and in the world. It is hard work, but it is meaningful work, and when you need someone to just care, we all have each other's backs.'
We are incredibly proud of you and excited to see how you bring your skills back to your communities.
Congratulations to all our graduates! 👏

Alvin W. Johnson Sr. Angoon
Annette Active Togiak
Nicole Pauk Togiak
Elizabeth Willis Stony River
Ryan Miller Atmautluak

Twyla Gloko Manokotak
Conrad Queenie Newtok
Cecilia Turner Holy Cross
Ala Dock Togiak
Robert Golley Jr. Chuathbaluk
Michael Asicksik Tununak
Kimberly Agnus Chefornak
Chantrell Agnus Chefornak

John Night Chevak
Emery Lockwood Stebbins

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day from Backhaul Alaska and Zender Environmental Health and Research Group ! 🌍♻️

Every day, we work to keep Alaska’s lands, waters, and communities clean by helping rural areas safely manage and remove harmful waste. From backhaul to water quality and solid waste training, we’re proud to support long-term environmental health across the state.

Our staff also participated in an Earth Day event in Talkeetna, which was a great success! We collected 4 pallets of electronics and removed 3 buckets of household batteries. It was great to see other recycling agencies such as Valley Community for Recycling Solutions recycling glass bottles and Plastic Recovery plastics at this event. Thank you to Denali Education Center ()and the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation for having us. Special shoutout to the Knik Tribe and crew Theo and Kainoa for assisting with the event and the use of their box truck to drop off the materials collected to be recycled, and to Valley Community for Recycling Solutions for supporting the event.

Let’s keep building a cleaner, healthier Alaska together!

04/08/2026

We’re excited to share this video from Matson in Alaska!

A huge thank you to their team for supporting our Backhaul efforts and helping move materials out of rural communities for proper recycling and disposal. Partnerships like this make a real difference across Alaska. ♻️

04/07/2026

We had such a fun and busy week at ATCEM!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and said hi!

We always enjoy seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. And a big thank you to those who attended our sessions and were part of the discussions.

And if you requested information, assistance, or follow-up, our team will be reaching out to you soon. We’re looking forward to continuing the conversation and supporting your work!