HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0554.003 2020-2022 From: Cory Harden
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2022 9:41 PM
To: Chung, Aaron; David, Maile; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kimball, Heather;
Lee Loy, Sue; Inaba, Holeka; Richards, Tim;Villegas, Rebecca; Council Testimony
Subject: Comm 554/composting/RAWEEMC/Jan 18
comments on Communication 554.0 re. composting COTTTY CLERK
COUNTYOFHAWAII
for Committee on Regenerative Agriculture,Water, Energy, and Environmental Mana f ED
2:30 PM Tuesday,January 18, 2022 Ti-!a 'Cf f 'V1, y
from Cory Harden, Hilo I� t� JA 21192
Please do NOT support a single, large-scale composting facility. Instead, please support a small-scale,distributed system of
community-based composting operations
The large facility would cost$10 million to build and an unknown amount to operate.All compostable materials would need to
be transported to Kea'au,and all finished compost would have to be transported to where it is needed, meaning high costs
and greenhouse gas emissions. Municipal solid waste containers could not be used for this, because compostable materials
leak too much.
By contrast,the estimated cost to set up a small-scale system is$7 million, and a grant that County Research and Development
is now working on might fund it. It could be done in conjunction with food hubs, where farmers could bring food to be
processed and also pick up compost at the same time.
There are claims that only a large-scale facility can handle compostable plastic serviceware. But small-scale facilities can
actually handle it by using shredding and having the proper temperature and timing.
Please support small-scale facilities,which in turn support local farmers and a circular economy. Mahalo!
Com . •f _
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Ref. Fete JAN 18 2422
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