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. Even if you are on city garbage collection you can use these areas to give away your still useful household goods, or recycle aluminum, etc. 

Our favorite transfer sites are located on the periphery of Fairbanks:

The "Farmer's Loop East" site on Old Steese near the East end of Farmer's Loop Rd.

The "Farmer's Loop West" site at the West end of Farmer's Loop Rd. across from Taku Drive, below UAF.

The "Chena Ridge" site on Chena Ridge Road, more or less opposite the Pump House. 

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There are also two good sites in North Pole, and one small one in Fox.   
Fox     

To find the sites look for a sign like this or this .

Transfer sites are generally open 7 days a week 8am-10pm.

The bulk of good recyclable items are found under the overhang.   Here Auntie Adddville is surveying the spread at the Chena Ridge Station       

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Scavenging for stuff in the regular garbage dumpsters is not allowed, although regularly done.  This is because people tend to injure themselves through careless diving, and there are often bio hazards in people's home garbage.  For example, we have a smelly dead caribou head here next to Mme. Exxxedrin.  The interesting part about this image is that a few minutes after the photo was taken, someone scavenged the head out of the dumpster and took it home with them.  Even an item as unappealing as this has utility for a home crafter (caribou horn can be used to make knife handles, buttons, etc.)

Safe diving is demonstrated by Auntie Adddville with the use of a "Claw". Other good accessories include garden gloves, plastic bags, and hooks.

Builder's Bargains ( 760 Old Richardson Highway) also provides a free stuff bin (as if their prices weren't enough of a deal)

And there is Value Village for buying used items at low cost in a clean indoor environment:

  Mondays are especially good shopping days because they have a regular $1 tag sale that day each week.