2019-11-27 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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Chair Bennett asked the commissioners if any of them had more information on what is being discussed at the County Council level on waste to energy. Vice Chair Olson said he believed Councilmember Richards had proposed to take part of the waste stream to where the biomass plant was to be built. However, he was on a recent boat ride to see what the coast looked like, and the area appeared to be geologically unstable, with mega homes hanging out and trees pointing downward over the cliff. The whole area appeared to be collapsing. Chair Bennett asked the commissioners whether there was interest in pursuing the discussion when it appeared it was not on the County Council’s front burner, and Vice Chair Olson and Commissioners Gaffney and Cardwell said yes. Director Kucharski informed the commissioners the resolution on reducing the waste stream was passed by the Council, and the ball is now in the court of DEM and R&D to pursue looking at alternatives. The commissioners discussed whether they wanted to wait and see what DEM and R&D came up with, or be proactive. Chair Bennett proposed they work on drafting a recommendation to discuss at the January meeting and asked for volunteers to draft it. Vice Chair Olson and Commissioners Gaffney and Cardwell volunteered. c. Further discussion on the status of the County of Hawaiʻi’s recycling contract. Chair Bennett said clarification was needed to put into perspective the various press articles about the cancellation of the recycling contract, as it was not clear whether it was caused by the failure of the international market or because the material was so heavily contaminated that it was not suitable to the contractor. Director Kucharski was asked to fill them in. Director Kucharski said the first thing to understand is the fact that the county does not physically carry out any recycling—the services are contracted out. The contract with Business Services Hawaiʻi had three one-year extensions. At the last contract extension, they decided to pull out, as they were losing money. He explained the costs the contractor has in separating the recyclable material from the non-recyclable, and also in disposing of the non-recyclable material in the landfill. The county only pays the contractor for those recyclables the contractor verifies went to a certified recycling entity. The contractor originally wanted to stop all services as of October 1, but after discussions extended it to October 15. The county is unable to just go out and select another business to do the recycling. The scope of the contract has to be written, it has to go out for bid, and the money has to be found where there is a zero sum budget. A summary of Director Kucharski’s answers to questions from commissioners is below. • Business Services Hawaiʻi was the only recycling contractor that bid. • Waste Management of Hawaiʻi has not been interested in bidding on the department’s contracts. 3