2020-01-22 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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island’s population. A degree in science means the director understands economic principles and how tax dollars can be well spent to solve basic functions of waste management. On item 4c (long sewer lines), Nāālehu’s 2006 FEIS has short sewer lines going to a septic system and ʻ injection well. This concept was approved by Mayor Kim and the homeowners. The DOH signed off on the design done by SSFM Engineering, and it would satisfy EPA regulations. Previous commissioners obfuscated his request for the plan to be reviewed. When Harry Kim was reelected, his staff told him that Mayor Kenoi stole the plan when he left office. Councilmember David took down his homeowner information, but she did not have anything in her office when he went back there. Director Kucharski told him he would bring the file to the commission meeting, but he did not follow through. Brown and Caldwell also told him they would have the original plan when discussing the current one at the community level. They also did not follow through. It will take a commissioner to bring the skeleton out of the closet. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Continued discussion on waste-to-energy proposals or alternative uses for waste, including recommendations drafted by Vice Chair Olson and Commissioners Gaffney and Cardwell. Chair Bennett turned this item over to Vice Chair Olson and Commissioner Gaffney. Vice Chair Olson said the Pfizer corporation has made a significant investment in collecting plastics and wants whatever they can get their hands on. It would make sense for the county to start separating plastics from the waste stream so this resource doesn’t get thrown away. The broader picture of how to go about doing this needs to be looked into. Commissioner Adams said there is a high demand for plastics in some circles, but here in the middle of the Pacific, we do not generate a significant enough volume for a ship to come and pick it up. A complex market place system would need to be set up from beginning to end, and although it can be explored, she is not sure our island can push this. If they were to start stockpiling plastics, it would entail setting up a storage facility to store them for an unknown amount of time. Vice Chair Olson said they could make the broad strokes at this level and start talking about how to move forward; and Commissioner Adams said there are different choices that could be explored, but a mature enough market system has to be in place for the island to begin to participate. Commissioner Gaffney asked the director if there is unused space anywhere in the system where plastics could be stockpiled. Director Kucharski said there is space if they created a cell for storage. However, before that is done there would need to be a way to separate the plastics from the waste stream and ensure they are clean. Also needed would be a process to compact the plastics. As budget cuts are likely, he does not know how this can be done, although he would like to do something positive. DEM does not have a buffer of staff to put on