What is the status of plastic recycling? What percentage of the collected containers, if any, has a market for recycling, as opposed to being burned at H-POWER?
On Oahu plastic recycling is limited to #1 polyethylene yerephthalate (PET), which are mostly carbonated beverages, water bottles and food grade containers; and #2 high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which are more of your milk, detergent and juice containers. Recyclables, including plastics, are collected curbside, sorted according to type, baled and shipped to be recycled.
Nearly 7% of the plastic recyclables collected curbside are processed for recycling. The city contracts with RRR Recycling to sort and separate the collected recyclables and requires the contractor to provide documentation confirming all recyclable materials delivered through the curbside program are recycled.
There is more to capture. PET and HDPE are highly marketable. Some states are mandating recycle content in plastic beverage containers, increasing the demand for recycled PET and HDPE. Even with the high shipping costs, recycling PET and HDPE is still economical.
Since “glassphalt” is not optimal as a paving material, is there another local use for recycled glass?
The city researched a process that recycles glass into a foam or pumice type aggregate used as lightweight fill for infrastructure, soil aerator and filtration media. The recycled glass aggregate is sized specifically for the application. From 2018-19, the city issued requests for proposal for the beneficial reuse of recycled glass, but canceled both solicitations due to excessive costs from the proposals.
Other companies are providing equipment or repurposing recycled glass. Triple F Distributing carries a glass crusher allowing businesses to produce glass sand to be utilized on site in lieu of purchasing construction or masonry sand. Maui’s Revive Glassworks creates glassware from recycled glass. The city continues to investigate ways to recycle glass locally.
How can residents improve their use of the blue and green bins? Any mistakes to be corrected?
Contamination, or unacceptable materials, is the biggest problem when it comes to green and blue carts. These recycling carts are not supposed to be used for excess trash. Blue carts are for newspaper, corrugated cardboard, office paper, paper bags, glass bottles, jars, metal cans (bi-metal, aluminum, steel, tin) and plastics #1 and #2.
Items like foam, plastic film, magazines, cereal boxes, junk mail and shredded paper go in the gray carts.
Only green waste (e.g., grass clippings, leaves, branches, hedge trimmings, fruit, vegetables, palm fronds and natural Christmas trees) should be placed in green carts. We encourage residents to place recyclables and green waste in loosely and not in plastic bags. Bagged recyclables and green waste add an extra processing step when handled at Hawaiian Earth Recycling and RRR Recycling, respectively.
Understanding the type of acceptable material for the green and blue carts is the best way to combat contamination.
Any plans to have more community recycling bins available, for residents who don’t have blue/green bin pickup?
No. The city continues to research and develop ways to make recycling convenient for the public.
We are currently exploring a semi-automated collection system on our manual collection routes to provide carts for recyclables and green waste collection. We will continue to support HI-5 redemption centers at city park-and-ride locations providing residents the option to redeem HI-5 containers.
For multi-unit complexes, we will assist them in setting up a recycling program on site with the potential use of city-issued 96-gallon carts, complex-specific receptacles, educational material, and assist with communicating with their private hauler to collect the recyclables.
Further, we recommend that multi-unit complexes partner with donation centers to provide receptacles for slightly used goods.
What other steps is the city taking to reduce the waste stream?
Source reduction is the best way to minimize waste. The Disposable Food Ware Ordinance restricts the use and sale of polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic food ware, and disposable plastic service ware as well as dictating when disposable service ware may be provided.
The city’s plastic bag ban regulates the type of bags provided to customers on Oahu at the point of sale promoting consumers to bring your own bag — once again, eliminating single-use plastics.
The city is in the planning phase of diverting food waste to composters and collaborating with nonprofit organizations to increase participation to feed humans and animals first as well as organizing a source reduction group to focus on reducing waste before it is created.
THE BIO FILE
>> Title: Recycling branch chief, City and County of Honolulu.
>> Work experience: Manages the city’s recycling programs, and enforcement of ordinances relating to businesses (food waste, glass, office paper, plastic bags and disposable food ware); past city positions include recycling specialist and wastewater engineer. General manager, Long Beach State Recycling Center and Recycled Wood Products; worked at other recycling and composting facilities in California. Even at home, lives life as a solid waste manager, well versed in green waste and food waste composting.
>> Education: Bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the California State University at Long Beach.
>> One more thing: On Oahu, roughly 2.7% of HI-5 glass, 1.4% of the HI-5 metal containers, and 1.3% of HI-5 #1 PET and 0.1% of HI-5 #2 HDPE plastics are recycled. There is still room for improvement to recycle more HI-5 recyclables. Less than 2% of HI-5 recyclables (plastics, aluminum, bi-metal and glass) is in Oahu’s waste stream.
