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MIXED WASTE PROCESSING AND MSW COMPOSTING The processing and composting of mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) is a technology which has generated a great deal of controversy among solid waste managers, composting proponents, and the ultimate end users (farmers, landscapers and home gardenersl. The technology is often times portrayed as a "Quick Fix" to allow communities to reach their waste diversion goals without requiring a change in the existing solid waste management system. While the basic operations and resulting products are similar in nature to the processing of source separated recyclables and the composting of source separated organics; the preprocessing requirements, management of contaminants, and final use of the product require a considerably greater level of regulatory oversight. Due to the environmental concerns and the economic problems which many facilities have encountered (relating both to processing costs and the marketability of the product), there have been significant questions as to the viability of mixed MSW composting as a solid waste management option. In addition there are major concerns relating to costs, diversion rates and marketability of the end product. Many mixed waste processing facilities ("Dirty MRFs"1 which have been sold to communities as no effort solutions to their waste management problems have been found to be economic "Black Holes". THE QUALITY OF THE RECOVERED RECYCLABLES: The cross contamination of recyclables separated from MSW at the processing site has been one of the prime problems affecting mixed MSW management facilities. Recyclables extracted from mixed MSW have a greatly reduced market value. Here in Hawaii where we must compete for mainland and Asian markets with large volumes of high quality material collected from mainland source separation programs this is a significant concern. Vendors claiming to be able to market contaminated recyclables at prices comparable to clean source separated material either have limited marketing experience in Hawaii or are purposely overselling their proposal. The computer clichE, "Garbage In -Garbage Out," also holds true for recycling. COMPOST QUALITY: The primary problem facing most mixed MSW composting projects is the marketing of the final product. While the Department of Health is establishing guidelines for a MSW compost based on EPA sewage sludge compost requirements, the testing and control parameters will establish only the minimal health and safety standards required to allow a product to be sold for general use. The more critical issue involving MSW compost has been its "marketability" rather than whether or not it simply meets minimal health and safety standards. A number of nationwide studies have indicated that markets for an MSW compost are extremely limited. Public perception, the presence of a significant amount of non-organic