WasteLine Contributors
Managing
Editor
Suzanne Jones
Editor
Adam
Bien
Assistant
Editor
Tamara Farnsworth
Contributing
Writers
Chris Hirota
Eileen Helmstetter
Amy Long
Michael
O'Keefe
Kevin Nesnow
Irobela Wreagh
Staff
Photographer
Irobela
Wreagh
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Aloha,
Welcome to WasteLine, a bimonthly e-newsletter which profiles successful
community and business recycling programs, innovations and technology, and opens
discussions on new directions in the City's waste management and recycling
programs. You can stay in the loop, talkin' trash, connected to the resources
with a click of your mouse.
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Schools Raise Funds
HI-5 Recycling
Local schools tap into City resources to raise money through recycling. For over a year, Iroquois Point Elementary students have successfully held monthly HI-5 fundraiser events on campus, raising over $1800 (and $350 in April alone). Other schools that have broken the $1000 mark include Waimalu Elementary, Kalaheo High School, and Leilehua High School. Organizing an event is getting easier... With a bit of assistance from the school's PTA, staff, and community members, the IPE students collect/unload, sort, and deposit thousands of empty deposit beverage containers during each event into the large HI-5 collection bins provided by the City. Events are publicized in the community association's newsletter and A-frame signs set up throughout the neighborhood help to further spread the word among parents and residents. Each classroom also has two recycling bins -- one of which students and staff continuously place their empty bottles and cans in anticipation of the monthly drop-off event. The campus is also the site of a full-time multi-material Community Recycling Bin.
For more photos of Iroquois Point Elementary students having fun as they raise funds as part of April's Earth Week Celebration, click here. For more information on organizing a HI-5 fundraiser, click here.
 Students at Keoneula Elementary School, a new
school in the heart of Ewa, have been working hard to make recycling a reality.
This year, a 6th grade student group, Kids Initiating Change (KIC)
held two HI-5 recycling drives, using Clearstream containers provided by the
City's Recycling Office, and implemented a school-wide campus recycling program, using wheeled
recycling carts, also provided by the City. Other achievements include winning
a Kokua Hawaii Foundation award for their campaign artwork and creating care packages
for soldiers deployed overseas and paid for with earnings from their recycling drives. These students got together on their own,
mentored by teacher, Victoria Coffin, to create big changes on campus and in
their community. Great work and congratulations, KIC! For more information about Clearstreams or wheeled recycling carts for schools and non-profits, click here. For more photos of the KIC crew, click here.
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Condos Recycle
for Love and Money
It's not mandatory for condominium residents to recycle. Property managers and AOAO's have to be motivated to set up a recycling program. So what motivates them beyond "it's the right thing to do?" Usually it starts with one passionate resident or manager and for The
Chateau Waikiki, that's Tome Masuda. The Chateau Waikiki began their recycling program in March 2005 using 96-gallon
recycling carts provided by the City's Recycling office. Tome, the site manager, says that placing small recycling collection
containers in trash rooms on every floor has resulted in great tenant participation. It is very convenient for tenants to
drop off their newspaper, plastic, aluminum and glass just down the hall when
they take out their trash.
Honolulu
Disposal Service collects both the trash and recyclables from the Chateau and
gives the building a discount on their refuse charges based on the weight of
the recyclable materials collected.
Tome is proud of the efficient recycling program at the Chateau and
would be happy to share details with other buildings. She can be reached at
946-3677.
Tap into City resources including free recycling carts, start-up cost reimbursement, and tenant educational materials. For more information on condo recycling, click here. But remember, it's the passion that gets it done.
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What to do with
Household Hazardous Waste
The ultimate goal of the program is waste
prevention (buy only the products you need, and use up what you buy), because when residents
have items for disposal the process gets complex and costly to taxpayers. Householders are required to prepare an inventory list of each material and its respective volume (container size). This allows the staff to review
each item and provide instructions for proper disposal. Some items can be safely disposed with your regular trash with proper preparation. Some are okay down the drain with plenty of water. But for some items, the householder needs to make an appointment to drop off the material(s) at the City's free bi-monthly HHW drop-off events. Although there is no charge to the individual, the cost for special handling and disposal of hazardous waste is significant and supported with our tax dollars. Purchasing these types of products in the large size isn't the best deal if there is any leftover. For more information on household hazardous waste prevention and disposal (including drop-off event dates), click here.
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The Opala Team in Action
Gray is for garbage, blue is for mixed recyclables, green is for green waste. "So, will there be trash police checking carts to make sure we do it right?" We refer to them as the Opala Team, up before dawn and canvassing the streets checking your blue and green carts. Adam Bien and Amy Long lead two teams covering the participating communities. Bright yellow notices attached to the carts provide friendly reminders and needed corrections if they find unacceptable items. The notices turn red and not as friendly if the inspectors find garbage hidden in recycling carts on several re-checks. But most are doing a good job with contamination levels below 4 percent overall. Monitoring the trucks as they unload at the recycling facilities provides clues to neighborhood routes that may need closer inspection. Over 100,000 homes are now onboard, and everyone's effort contributes to thousands of tons diverted from the landfill. So remember: keep it clean, sort it out. This material goes to remanufacturing of new products.
For more information about curbside recycling, click here.
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