2013-06-26 Minutes Environmental Management Commission

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6. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: • Director's Report(attached to original minutes): Legislation Council member Kern is making additional amendments to Bill 44. An amendment is being made to Bill 79 to change the enforcement agency from DEM to Research and Development (R&D). DEM has indicated to the council that there are no funds in next year's budget for additional staffing, training and the testing that would be required for enforcement. Wastewater Division(WWD) 4.C. North Kona Sewer& Effluent Reuse Upgrade: The Department has met with State Department of Transportation and is negotiating directly with them in an attempt to reduce DEM's portion of the additional cost of the re-design. A meeting is scheduled this week with the Mayor, DEM and Department of Water Supply (DWS) regarding joint billing. The Director will follow up with the WWD on the HIOSH HWWTP inspection report. Solid Waste Division 2. Operations: - SHSL/Sort Station: • The amount of materials that could be diverted at the Sort Station and kept out of the landfill would increase with better and more appropriate sorting equipment. The director indicated the Sort Station staff is doing the best they can with what they have. • More public education is needed to encourage residents to separate recyclables and not dispose of all items with their rubbish. • The county must encourage/require private rubbish haulers to provide recyclable collection along with, and separate from, the rubbish collection. • There is an additional face of the landfill that is available for sliver fill. With approval from DOH and appropriate permits, another 10 to 12 years of landfill life is possible allowing additional time, if needed,to implement a WTE operation. • New tarps have been ordered for the landfill cover. - Abandoned Vehicle (AV) & Towing Program: • The bids for towing of AVs are being reviewed to award the contract. 3. Solid Waste Capital Improvements: - Volcano/Glenwood Transfer Station Repairs—the department is requesting priority funding for these repairs, along with Waiohinu. 5. Recycling Section 4. Hi-5 Certified Redemption Centers: • DEM is negotiating with Business Services Hawaii, the current vendor, regarding services that can be done with the reduced funding of$483,000 received from the State. There will be a reduction of some hours but all current Hi-5transfer sites will remain open. • The results are more restrictions and reporting but less funding from the State. Other Recycling Section Activities: 3. Electronic Recycling: • Commissioner Warner indicated that there were less than 20 items at the last Waimea E- waste collection and they were compiled over a month's time. He shared his concerns of 2