2017-10-25 Environmental Management Commission Minutes

Home

taking a look at the personnel necessary to get it moving. They are a long way from getting it off the ground but are working on it diligently. Director Kucharski finished his report, and there were no questions. Agenda Item 5b: UPDATE ON INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN Gregory Goodale, the Solid Waste Division Chief, introduced himself and George Hayducsko, the Recycling Coordinator. Mr. Goodale said they would be going through what was done in the past, what came out of it, and what they are moving towards in the planning process. He brought executive summaries from the 2009 iteration to hand out and explained it is also online. The entire report is on their zerowaste.org website as well. He explained that the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan is a requirement of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. It is a planning process. It used to be required every five years but now is required every ten years. The planning process involves public participation and requires at least five people on an advisory board. One of the members will be George Hayducsko, and they are still lining up the other four people to be on the board. A consultant contract is being finalized for a consultant to assist in the process. The board will be essential to the process in terms of coming up with ideas and talking to community members about the things to be accomplished. The process includes evaluations of the solid waste management practices, waste reduction practices, and all the associated programs. The plan will make recommendations and take into account the status of the previous programs. It will basically look at everything that has been done and take into consideration the state of the industry and things that make sense for our island. They are trying to come up with solutions that make sense for the County of Hawaiʻi, not for somewhere else, which is why the board will need members who live here, participate in things, and do business here. They are looking to get options for improvements to the overall solid waste management program—the transportation of the waste, how it is processed, and diversion from the waste stream. The 2009 recommendations included implementing an ordinance to require mandatory recycling, expanding the availability and convenience of reuse recycling centers, implementing a pay-as-you-throw system, and implementing a path to zero waste, as well as implementation of onsite composing programs and improving educational programs. Other recommended improvements included restructuring the recycling stations and trying to do it for each one on an annual basis; completing improvements to stations to allow for pay-as-you-throw; adding additional reuse centers; constructing a material recovery center in West Hawaiʻi to do a better job of sorting materials out of the waste stream; and adding composting operations. 13