2019-01-23 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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• The ban on polystyrene food containers comes into effect on July 1, 2019. The legislation required that DEM put together an education program on alternatives to polystyrene. He will be doing a presentation on this before the County Council’s Agriculture, Water, Energy and Environmental Management Committee on February 4, 2019. He can send the commissioners the layout of the education program and the slide presentation later. Director Kucharski answered several questions from Commissioner Fritz regarding the sort station tonnages in the Director’s Informational Report, as well as a question on how DEM will be handling the waste increase at the West Hawaiʻi land?ill once the Hilo landfill closes. He also answered questions from Commissioner Gaffney about electronics recycling and the Kealakehe WWTP Effluent R-1 Upgrade. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS No discussion was held on this. 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Neff announced that this was her last meeting, as her term had ended. She also recommended that the scheduled site visit of the Pāpaʽikou Transfer Station not be held today, as the traffic was very bad on the highway. Director Kucharski told her she can come back any time if she wants a site visit there, and he would be happy to arrange it. She said her concern is that it sits on the Kapue Stream. Commissioner Neff performed a Hawaiian chant she said was given to her by Aunty Edith, a beloved kumu. She said she was honored to serve on the commission and feels deep aloha and appreciation. She thanked the commissioners for all the work they are doing and for their concerns about keeping Hawaiʻi safe, clean, and beautiful. 9. ADJOURNMENT At 11:23 a.m., Chair Bennett announced that the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted: ___________________________________ Mary E. Fujio, Secretary