HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0037.026 2002-2004 I'F ~L Dit'. fl vc ScyiN s ~Grt~i
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THE TRASH PROBLEM
Mayor Kim has some hard working and capable people overseeing the solid waste
disposal problems faced by the County... and they wilt not Dome up with easy answers
nor ones many residents will be happy with.
The immediate problem, as you know, is that the Hilo landfill is nearly full and there is
pressure from the U.S. EnvirOnrnental Protection Agency to dose it. The primary
altematlva proposed is to reduce the waste flow as much as feasible (composting,
separating, enforcing the vehicle dumping law, etc) then to truck R to Pu'uanahalu, the
. west side landfill in the Waikaloa area.
I don't think this idea is environmentally sound for the fdlowing reasons:
1. The hazard to human life of more trucks traveling through our Hamakua
communities, Waimea, and the mountain road is too groat. We are the most
important part of the environment.
2. The emisskx?s from the truck diesels are more of a problem to the environment
than the leridflll (s,
3. The proaerlt landfill has not been shown to Ge a significant environmental
problem. EPA national regulations should not be applied to our probbms here
unless it can be shown that they will actually help our environment and not harm
public safety.
4. Expansion of the Hilo landfill and indneration have not yet been carefully
evaluated by the Council or the public.
We should take atl the time necessary tq consider the beat solution t0 this problem. and
not Ne pressured into complying with a "mandate" tram Washington. The County will do
an environmental assessment before implementing this project, and is gathering data on
the attemativea in propar>stion for R. This should be aceompfished weU before a tleasion
about when to dose the proaent landfill is made.
t3eorpe D. Curtis, Honomu 3/3f03
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