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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0307.004 2004-2006 June 29, 2005 DRAFT SUBJECT: SOLIll WASTE PLAN HIGHL[GHTS, and QUESTIONS The County's Plan for handling solid waste after the Hilo Landfill closes is outlined in the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (ISWMP) a.k.a. the `Plan'. 1'he ISWMP Executive Summary and the Final EIS Summary mentions that this plan to construct and operate a solid waste processing, recycling and transfer facility (Sort Station) is an interim (emphasis addecr7 solution until a responsible alternative is available to handle the East Hawaii waste stream. The ISWMP Executive Summary states that the recommended plan is to transfer the residual waste (stream) to Pu'uanahulu via a Sort Station until a waste reduction facility can be procured, designed, permitted, build, and brought on line. It is estimated that a waste reduction facility may take five to seven years for selection and implementation. (Final ELS Summav y). Prom the Final F,nvironmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Summary, the operation of the 'Sort Station' shows that reduction in the waste stream is heavily dependent on residential drop off ofsource-separated loads, commercial delivery of recyclable products, and tipping Moor segregation of certain commodities. Six truck tractors (new?) are expected to make 12 trips a day (with specialized long haul /railers7) to the West Hawaii Landfill at Pu'uanahulu. Green waste and sludge arc expected to also be hauled to Pu'uanahulu with an additional 5 truckloads a dav. "The Leilani Street extension, which crosses the existing 40-foot deep Glover quarry, is part of the proposed action. The County intends to increase diversion from the current level of 15% to 45% using recycling and resource recovery strategies. (FEIS Summary) The overall goal is to reach a diversion rate of 80% by the year 2014.(FEIS Summary) Note: This equates to about a 290-ton per day diversion rate at 45% and a 516-ton per day diversion rate at 80%. (Calculations were based on projected Haste generation rakes Jrom fable 2.6, p. /5 Final EIS) The Plan also includes improvements to rural transfer stations to provide convenient opportunities for residential recycling (drop off ofpre-sorted commodities), public education to encourage residential and commercial recycling, and organic waste composting.(FElS SummaryAA) , r Comm. NQ. 3 ~ ~1 • `I Ref. To: P1O3°~ ML Ref. Uote ~u~.~ 9 2~~5 The Final EIS Summary and other cuunty documents emphasize that the proposed action will have `'...the least environmental and social impacts and the least cost... "and also the proposed action will be `...cost effective and environmentally appropriate waste reduction (ethnology... " This theme of economic and environmental responsibility is repeated. The Final EIS Summary also claims that `"The County's proposed recycling and resource and recovery campaign, of which the proposed action (Sort Station) is a central part, by itself will mitigate the impact on the life of the Pu'uanahulu Landfill to a reduction of three years or less.' Relevant Ouestious: 1. What is the real cost of the `sort station', including: a. Costs for design/engineering/plans itemized for all proposed facilities, b. Cost for site work for all the proposed facilities, including waste water handling, a Construction costs, itemized for all proposed facilities, d. Utility costs for upgrades brought into the facility, e. Upgrade costs for the access road to the facility, f. Equipment costs, itemized for all proposed facilities, g. Manpower costs, itemized for all the proposed facilities, h. Recurring yearly operational costs, replacement costs, etc. i. Other costs for inclusion of other appurtenant and future components such as the equipment maintenance/employee facility, etc. 2. What happens to the sorted or separated commodities from this `Sort Station' facility? 3. Is the county planning to operate the recycle/reuse portion of the `Sort Station' facility? 4. Is the county planning to enter the recycling business? 5. [f not, is the county planning to contract the operation of the recycling reuse portion of the facility`? Is this expected to be a long-term lease? 6. What is the benefit to the County of contracting or leasing the operation of the recycle/reuse portion of the `Sort Station' facility? 7. Will the recycle/reuse contractor be selected by a competitive bid? 8. is it expected that the selected operator of the recycling/reuse facility will pay the county for the lease and a portion of all of the collected commodities? 9. Wouldn't the layout of the new facility be more structured if the scale, a large transfer station, a Waste Reduction Facility, a reload building and the equipment maintenance/ employee building are sited and grouped together? Why not? 10. Wouldn't it be more efficient to have the recycling/reuse area, the green waste area and waste metal facilities grouped together? Why not? These facilities need not be placed past the scale. 1 1. Have the long haul trucks and trailers for the reload facility been ordered? What is the expected time between advertising, award and delivery'? 12. When is the reload facility scheduled for operation? What is the time schedule for design, contract award, construction, equipment ordering, and operation? 13. What is the plan should the reload facility not be complete and in operation when the Hilo Landfill reaches capacity? 14. Wouldn't it be prudent to place all resources and energy into bringing utilities to the site, completing the site work. constructing the scale, and constructing the reload facility rather than spending the initial funds on the recycling/reuse facility? What is the priority and why? 15. Explain how sort separation will be handled on the tipping floor other than mechanically pulling out waste metal and large organic objects from the incoming transfer station loads. 16. Why is it necessary to transport green waste and sludge to West Hawaii? 17. 'fhe realignment of Leilani Street appears to cross the existing 40-foot deep Glover quarry. Is this a logical part of the overall plan? Is it a real proposal knowing that a 6" water line for the proposed facility would be within this alignment? I R. Is the Glover Company aware of this alignment? What were their comments? 19. The Final EIS Summary mentions that this `Sort Station' facility would provide continuos, convenient and cost effective service on an interim basis. [t also mentions that the facility would provide a central processing facility for the County's island wide recycling efforts. Please explain these statements. 20. Arc there any facilities planned for West Hawaii similar to the commodity collection function of this 'Sort Station'? Are all the island wide separated commodities planned to he trucked to this East Hawaii interim facility? 21. What, if any, 'processing' of separated commodities will take place at this facility? 22. How exactly did the DEM reach a 45% diversion rate by the year 2014 based solely on recycling and resource recovery? Were these conclusions based on assumptions? 23. Is this 45% diversion rate for the entire island's waste stream? Do you know how many tons per day a 45% diversion rate would include in 2014? (~1ns. About IJO tons per day in East Hax~aii and 200 Ions per day in Wes? Hawaii) 24. The Plan also includes improvements to rural transfer stations for residential and commercial recycling, organic composting, etc. What is the cost for these transfer station enhancements, including construction, equipment, security services and operational manpower? Would this be a county cost or would these stations be leased? 25. How many of the rural transfer stations are planned for the type of `enhancement as described in question #24 above? How many of the transfer stations have been `enhanced'? 26. 'fhe Plan also indicates an 80% waste reduction rate by the year 2014. Is this an island wide goal? How will this goal of diverting over 500 tons of refuse per day be reached and where will the 500 tons of refuse go? 27. If a waste to energy combustion unit is brought in to handle the Fast Hawaii waste, is there going to be an equivalent facility (technology) in West Hawaii to reach the diversion goal of HO% by 2014? 28. Are any waste reduction technology methods planned for siting at the West Hawaii Landfill? If not, how will the diversion rate of 80% he met? 29. Can you explain the status of the component implementation schedule found in the updated Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan.? 30. Can you explain why, after spending over $ I million in contracts over the past dozen or so years for educational/inli~rmational/outreach programs and alter three years of aggressive recycling with a Recycling Coordinator, the island's waste stream is steadily increasing? When will there be a recognizable affect of recycling on the island's waste stream? 31. With the present scenario of a steadily increasing waste stream, what makes the DEM believe that the diversion goals will ever be reached by 2014? 32. Considering the critical situation of Hilo Landfill space, what plans are in place for a disaster debris collection and holding area should a flood, hurricane of tsunami occur? 33. What provisions, if any, are being made for prohibited waste such a dead animals, animal renderings, confidential doctunents, old drug evidence, etc. when the Sort Station is up and running`? 34. 1-lave al I of the DLNR leases been turned over to the County for all of the parcels identified for use by the `Sort Station' and appurtenant facilities, as outlined in the Final EIS?