21-09-22 EMC minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vice Chair Gaffney said that effectively, going one step further from Commissioner Robinson’s question, they are in default, which legally could mean that the contract could be rescinded and restarted. Director Mansour said unfortunately that is not the case because the prior administration said that we don’t have the organic material to do compost, so they gave a waiver at least until we get the organic material in place. To do composting you need organicmaterial. The Countydid not provide that organic material to create compost, but we are negotiating with them. They committed to do the compost. We are having monthly meetings, so we are looking forward to them coming around and start producing compost. Chair Adams said this was on the previous idea of having a municipal/industrial composting facility in the W.H. Shipman Business Park. Director Mansour said the Shipman site no longer exists as an option, we crossed that out. The idea is WHSL will probably have a place to docomposting on the west side. It’s perfect weather for outdoor composting. We don’t have the details, it could be on the west side, it could be on the east side, the Hilo area, possibly where the current reload facility is. So that’s continuing. We are trying to understand the prior commitment and details so we can shape it moving forward, to what they need to deliver from a contractual standpoint. Vice Chair Gaffney wanted the other commissioners to know there are two major aquaculture businesses on the island, and both of them have high nutrient fish processing waste. And we need to get this into the waste stream. It will allow us to produce a very high-quality compost material. Please keep that in mind as we are moving forward. Both organizations have indicated a willingness to provide this waste product. They currently have to pay to throw it away. We want to move it into the waste stream and benefit from the fact that we have literally tons of fish processing waste available. Director Mansour said that is correct, that was brought to their attention because that is where we are going to get the organics to create the compost, in addition to the biosolids that come from the wastewater treatment plants, private and public. Director Mansour encouraged the Commission to watch the video of the presentation and continue their advisory role on the possible funding mechanisms and the options we need to look at. Continue talking to your Council member about reduce, reuse, recycle. Having transfer stations open seven days a week is not an incentive to reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s actually an incentive to throw more. Come up with ideas with how we could potentially divert and come to a smaller amount of tonnage going to the landfill and the transfer station. Chair Adams said the RAWEEMC presentation and discussion were definitely interesting, and there were a lot of opinions on the Council’s part as well. There is an opportunity for us to pitch in our ideas, she said. 26