Integrated Resources & Solid Waste Management Plan Update - Dec 2009

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I ih M, 0q Recycling and bioconversion involves taking materials that would have otherwise been disposed of as solid waste, and instead, reprocesses the materials into new and marketable products. Common recycled materials include beverage containers, paper products, scrap metal, and green waste. Bioconversion consists of processing organic materials such as grass, leaves, branches, untreated wood, or food to produce new products, such as compost and fertilizer, using biological means. This section describes existing recycling and bioconversion activities within Hawaii County, identifies current issues and concerns with respect to current recycling and bioconversion practices, and presents options for achieving the County's recycling and bioconversion goals. As discussed in Section 3.0, Source Reduction, the State of Hawaii prioritizes solid waste management practices and processing methods for each county as per Chapter 342G -2 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. The second priority, as discussed in this chapter, consists of recycling and bioconversion (including composting). Recycling and bioconversion practices were first detailed in the original Integrated Solid Waste Management plan created in 1993 and in the subsequent updated plan drafted in 2002. In 2003, the County of Hawaii passed a resolution with a goal to divert 50 percent of the solid waste from landfills by 2008 and 80 percent by 2013. 4.2.1 Zero Waste In 2007, the County of Hawaii further enhanced solid waste practices and concepts by adopting Resolution 356 -07, a zero waste philosophy toward solid waste management, and in 2008 contracted through Recycle Hawaii to have a zero waste implementation study conducted. The purpose of that study was to evaluate recycling options that may help the County achieve its waste reduction goals. The zero waste implementation study included public meetings held in September 2008 at multiple locations in the County to present zero waste concepts, and receive input from local residents and business owners about ways to turn currently- discarded materials into resources. The recommendations of the zero waste study have been incorporated to this IRSWMP update where applicable based on consensus of the SWAG, Solid Waste Division staff, and other stakeholders. December 2009 4 -1