The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0095.000 1998-2000 fl p.0. ijox 4847 • Hilo, Hawaii • 96720-0847 Office Tel: (808) 966 -6979 • 3ax: (808) 966 -6977 Email: laurel @recyclehawaiLorg • Web site: www.recydehawaii.org L., li December 22. 1998 TO All members of the Hawai'u County Council FROM: Laurel A. Dekker. Executive Director RE. DEC. 23 COUNCIL NIEETING AGENDA ITENIS BILL 209 AND BILL 324 Honorable Chairman Arakaki and Council Members. I am writing on behalf of Recycle Ha«ai't to ask for amendments or deferrals to Bill 209 and Bill 324 As a member of various solid waste advisor\ committees and an educator for the County of Hawaii on solid waste and rec\cling issues. I feel confidant in stating that I am a knowledgeable re- source. The information I share with you today should help you make better decisions on solid waste management. Over the course of the last couple weeks. I have discussed many solid waste issues with Jiro Sumada. County Department of Public works Depute Chief Engineer and John Harder. Director of the Office of Solid Waste Management at the State Department of Health. I have also talked with several .. i the Council members. In order to provide the Council with information that will assist you in making future solid «actc decisions. I have requested that Public works and Parks Committee Chair Yagong schedule an mforma- nonal workshop on solid waste (January 15th PW&P Committee meeting has been suggested). I have been notified b Mr. Harder that he is ready to attend that meeting. along with others that have Informa- tion to share on solid waste projects underway or coming up Nir. Sumada has informed me that he is scheduling a DPW briefing uvuh the Council sometime in Jarman. I offer this background information in order for ou to see the collaborative efforts and sincen t\ of Recycle Hawaii. I am very excited and honored to be able to be working on these issues with DP« OS\\?1, businesses. rec\clers. public and. of course. the Hawaii County Council. HILL '_ 09 — ALITHORI7I THE ISSI - A CF OF G rF \FR.- Specifically. we would like to address the 512 mil lion requested for closure of the South Hilo Landfill Through an amendment or itemization or by actual deferral of Bill 209. we are asking \ de e this v0 parncu ar espeu r� re until_the a solid waste management plats in pi su ec nes nevi,- „ • E 1 A A 501 (c) (3) tax - exempt, educational er«' =:iaation, serving the i3ig `Deland 9j g C — `IS ldul v:V= yC- -..a�i I c ∎a.n sarA_ The Count) DPW has requested (from the State E (9H- OS \VNI) an extension to the permit allowing them to operate the South Hilo Landfill. Although an official reply has not been received et discussions with the OS \W\I and DPW have covered various conditions that might be attached to such an extension. In other words. the extension will likel\ be granted. One of the conditions will require DPW to have a plan for East Hawaii that will address di\ sion of materials and management of the waste stream. On Thursday. December 17. Mr. Sumada and I discussed ways in which solid waste manage- ment plans for East Hawaii could be determined. Rec }cle Hawaii has a project underway involving community -based planning for solid waste and cost recover }. DPW has plans to dovetail this project with background education and information gathering in order to upgrade the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan for the County of Hawaii. We see the need for collaboration ivi Council. Admini tration and public in this effort. Closing the landfill before having a plan in place will not allow us to invest our limited funds in the best management method. For example. if the landfill closes soon. the options for handling the waste are limited. We might end up long hauling all the waste and reusable resources to Kona. This method will be very costly as well as guarantee us on -going hauling and burial costs. The expense invested in new hauling equipment could outweigh future di ersion options. It is critical to have options before you when snaking this important decision to prevent the expenditure of funds that might not be appropriate at this u me. Please remove the $12 million from the bond issuance in order for our community to ha\ e an appropriate plan in place before we close the landfill. RII i - A \IF \DI \G ORDINANCE 98 -00 B.Ei AIIJG TC) PURI IC I \IPROWF \IF\TS AND FI \A \CI \GTHEREOF FOR THIS FISC'ALXEAR We are IN ng that.ill 1 '4 he amended to reflect Rimming for a_maresompiehensiv e c waste management -ycte t an_jtict a C &D I andfill. \\ inch b\ its definition is unsuitable to Hilo weather conditions. If an amendment were not possible at this time then a deferral would be the next best option. The amount of C&D material disposed at the South Hilo Landfill last fiscal year amounted to only 8c T of the waste stream. or roughl} 3.000 tons I AA ould like to clarify the general parameters around management systems for C&D \A aste according to my last discussion with \Ir. Harder on Frida\ December 18 • First. a C &D Landfill requires a liner. Although the liner is made of a lighter weight material than that used for Municipal Solid Waste ( \IS\W) liners. it \A ill collect leachate. Operating the landfill will require extensive financial investments to cover pumping the fluids out and monitoring those fluids throughout its life. Only C&D permitted waste materials can be accepted. No loads contain- ing an\ \IS \W (which is t picalIA found at most construction sues] will be allowed. Materials such as inert aggregates. wood scraps and metal scraps would be allowed. • -1 second to of landfill could be considered for inert aggregates like concrete and asphalt. Thin Inert Landfill would not require a liner but would require the aggregates to be source separated i i e separating the concrete and asphalt out of the other «aster. ',believe this is the type of landfill being e ... o considered b■ the DPW. The mould be less costly to operate. but is not necessary The materials do not need to be buried and a landfill in estment does not need to be made. • Instead. a C&D recovery s} stem could be established to receive the inert materials and crush them for reuse. \Zany communities. including Kauai. have used this system. After Iniki. much of the concrete and asphalt was crushed and reused in roads and fill. There are opportunities to recover the wood scraps (other than pressure - treated lumber and metals from this system as well. In my Dec. 17 meeting with \Ir. Sumada. we discussed the reason why a Construction & Demoli- tion Landfill was being considered for East Hawaii. I was told that the main reason was for diversion of materials that could avoid the long - hauling process when that time came — probably within the next five years. We both acknowledged that some long hauling will be required in the future. but not until the Hilo landfill must close. Mr. Sumada was also concerned about the long permimng time required for such a venture. [ \Ir. Harder later conferred that the permitting process could take 1 -2 years.] After much discussion. we both agreed that a C&D Landfill might not he necessary if we design the manage- ment system appropriately. With adequate planning and evaluation. we can design a system of management that utilizes various techniques. Our community investments can go much further if we work together to explore the options and then make the decision on which methods to use. Please amend Bill 32-I to change the project to planning for a comprehensive solid waste management strategy for East Hawaii." If the amendment is not possible. please defer. \1r. Chairman and Council Members. thank -you for the opportunity to express ourselves on these issues. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have an■ questions on these or any other solid waste issues. \lahalo. S incerel Laurel A. Dekker V is facsim