What it costs to dump in Alaska: 2026 fees
Alaska's boroughs and cities run their own landfills, and prices swing more than anywhere else we cover: household trash is free on the Kenai Peninsula and for Fairbanks residents, a few dollars a load in Anchorage and Mat-Su, and $255.72 a ton in Ketchikan.
Cost to dump in Alaska, by borough
| Where | Small load | Bigger loads | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenai Peninsula Borough (Soldotna, Homer, Kenai) | Free | Free (household trash) | Vehicles, boats and grease are charged |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | Free (residential) | $148 a ton (commercial) | Transfer sites only for residents outside the city |
| Mat-Su Central Landfill (Palmer) | $3 a bag; $15 minimum | $147 a ton | Brush and scrap metal free for residents |
| Anchorage (Central Transfer Station, Eagle River landfill) | $10–$15 a load | $27 a load (residential) | Refrigerators $57 |
| Deer Mountain Landfill (Ketchikan) | $27.43 minimum (under 500 lbs) | $255.72 a ton | Highest rate we found in Alaska |
From each borough's or city's own rate page or fee schedule, October 2026, cheapest first. Fairbanks rates are its fiscal 2027 schedule (July 2026 to June 2027); Anchorage's are its 2026 rates.
Find a landfill near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites across Alaska, then open your city's page for its exact hours, fees and what it accepts.
How dumping works in Alaska
On the road system, each borough runs one main landfill plus a network of transfer stations: Anchorage (the Central Transfer Station in Midtown and the regional landfill in Eagle River), Mat-Su (the Central Landfill in Palmer and 13 transfer sites), the Kenai Peninsula (the Central Peninsula Landfill in Soldotna and staffed facilities in Homer, Seward, Kenai, Nikiski and Sterling) and Fairbanks (the Sanduri Street landfill and neighborhood transfer sites).
Off the road system, most villages run their own Class III landfill. Alaska DEC regulates about 190 active community landfills, and for many communities they're the only disposal option.
Free options
- Kenai Peninsula Borough: household trash is free at every borough site, including eight unstaffed transfer sites open around the clock.
- Fairbanks: residential loads, brush and junk vehicles are free at the borough landfill.
- Mat-Su: residential brush and scrap metal are free at the Central Landfill, and car batteries are free at any site.
- Anchorage: wood waste is free at the Eagle River landfill's wood lot on Fridays and Saturdays from May through October.
The catches that cost people money
- An oversized trailer in Anchorage. Residential prices apply only to cars, unmodified pickups, vans and trailers up to 5.5 by 8 by 3 feet.
- A big load at a Mat-Su transfer site. Transfer sites cap loads at 5 cubic yards and 8 feet long; bigger loads go to the Central Landfill by weight.
- A refrigerator with the doors on. Anchorage requires them empty with doors removed before you enter.
- A business load at a Fairbanks transfer site. The borough fines businesses using residential transfer sites.
What Alaska law keeps out of landfills
We didn't find an Alaska statute or DEC rule banning car batteries, tires, appliances or electronics from landfills. DEC guidance treats lead-acid batteries as hazardous waste that shouldn't go in a landfill, and its rules require batteries to be removed from junk vehicles before disposal. In practice the boroughs collect batteries, appliances and electronics separately: Mat-Su takes car batteries free, and Anchorage charges $5 each at its household hazardous waste drop-off.