Question: In the last year, at various times not all the blue or green bins were picked up with the rest of our street. Three things have happened. We brought our bin in; the next day the remaining blue bins on the street were picked up. We left our bin outside for a later pickup; one week later our bin was still on the curb. We left our bin outside. The next rubbish pickup date, the truck emptied both the gray bin and the blue bins into the same truck. We all know that almost every agency is short-staffed. Is there a general rule we can follow when the truck runs out of space for the emptying of our bin? The trucks always come back to pick up the rubbish (gray bin), after emptying their trucks. But the response seems pretty random when either the green or blue bin isn’t picked up as scheduled.
Answer: We shared your concerns with Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services, along with a question of our own, asking whether the city has resolved its shortage of side-loader trucks that pick up gray (garbage), green (green waste) and blue (mixed recyclables) bins on Oahu’s 3-cart routes, without a worker having to get out of the truck. A shortage of new trucks and of parts to repair old ones had disrupted collection at times last year. Here is ENV spokesperson’s Markus Owens response to the key issues raised, including that “mixing gray and blue cart contents in the same truck is absolutely prohibited” and should be reported to the department.
>> Why wasn’t the blue or green bin picked up with the rest of the street? “There are various factors that could lead to a missed pickup, such as reduced availability of trucks. While our goal is to maintain a regular collection schedule, we do appreciate your patience when circumstances prevent timely pickups.”
>> What should residents do if their cart is missed? “If a cart is missed, residents should leave it at the curb and it will be collected in the following one to two days. In the event the cart is not picked up within a couple of days after the scheduled service, the resident should call their base yard to report the missed pickup. Contact information is available on our website (at 808ne.ws/3QeECGG Opens in a new tab). Residents may also call our Refuse Concern Line at 808-768-3200.”
>> The truck emptied both gray and blue carts into the same truck — why? “Mixing gray and blue cart contents in the same truck is absolutely prohibited. Our refuse and recycling truck drivers have been clearly reminded of this policy, and it will be strictly enforced. Any instances of different colored carts being emptied together must be reported immediately to our Refuse Concern Line at 808-768-3200. Recycling is a top priority for the city, and any violations of this policy will be thoroughly investigated. If the violation is confirmed, it will result in serious disciplinary action, and possibly termination.”
>> What about truck truck availability and staffing shortages? “Yes, the Department of Environmental Services has faced challenges related to truck shortages since the pandemic, which may sometimes impact regular service. However, we are actively addressing these shortages and continuously working to improve service reliability as more and more new trucks are making their way to the island and into our fleets. While we anticipate continued improvement, there may still be occasional service disruptions depending on staffing and operational capacity. As far as staffing, we do not have a shortage at this time.”
Lastly, although it doesn’t apply in this reader’s case, we’ll mention that the ENV website says carts are tagged and not emptied when they are blocked by a parked car, too bulky or heavy, or contain the wrong type of material. “Improperly prepared or inaccessible refuse will be picked up on your next collection day, when the reason for non-collection has been corrected,” it says.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
