2006-01-AU Audit of the County of Hawai‘i's Recycling and Diversion Grants Program

Home

Green Waste — The auditors understand the difficulty in obtaining incoming weights caused by current sites and infrastructure. However, these difficulties and their solution should be a part of any future plans for addressing green waste. In response to the Department's statement that it is better to have consistent standards at all locations, while consistency is definitely desirable, it should not be at the expense of effective controls. The most effective controls possible should be implemented with every effort toward standardization at all locations. DEM states that, at this time, the Department is meeting the State's diversion goals for green waste. The auditors question how this was determined as the County does not currently have the capability of accurately measuring green waste entering processing facilities, much less the total amount of green waste being generated by residential and commercial sources being dumped illegally or at County transfer stations. Further, program budgeting should be performed in sufficient detail to allow for control through frequent review, complemented by sufficient monthly processing requirements and limitations at procurement and contracting as well as by adequate and appropriate ongoing monitoring, control, and reporting. Encumbering smaller amounts on an incremental basis is not an adequate internal control mechanism. Household Hazardous Waste — The auditors disagree that the understanding of the law regarding household hazardous waste communicated in the audit report is incorrect. The laws are somewhat confusing as a waste identified as "hazardous" is exempted by reason that it was generated by a household rather than a public or commercial entity. However, Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 342G- 26(f)(1) requires that the County's household hazardous waste component include an assessment of the quantity and type of hazardous wastes generated by residences. HRS §342G- 26(f)(3) further provides that it shall "develop programs for the collection of household hazardous wastes that protect the public and the environment from these substances." It is the auditors' understanding that the reason that household waste is exempted is due to the difficulty in regulatory enforcement of individual households, not because the waste does not pose a significant threat to public health and the environment. The impact of these threats appears to be even greater in Hawaii County since our waste generated per capita is approximately double that of the national average. The Department's response indicates the assumption that auditors suggest the County should subsidize commercial collection of hazardous wastes. The auditors did not intend that the County subsidize commercial collection, but rather that the County pursue provision of permanent collection sites for both commercial and residential generators, with commercial generators paying a "tipping" or disposal fee to help support the household hazardous waste program.