HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0462.008 2018-2020 urachi e, Laura
From: Megan Lamson Leatherman <Iamson@hawaii.edu>
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2019 8:55 PM 1019 SEP 17 AM T 58
To: Richards, Tim; Kanealii-l(leinfelder, Matt; Chung, Aaron; Lee Loy, Sue; Kierkiewicz, Ashley;
David, Maile; Eoff, Karen; Villegas, Rebecca; Poindexter, Valerie
Cc: Council Testimony
Subject: Comments for 9/17 AWEEM Committee Meeting -- OPPOSED to RESO 301-19!
Aloha Chair Richards,Vice Chair Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder, and fellow members of the AWEEM
Committee,
While the wording in the Resolution (301-19) that is being proposed at tomorrow's committee
meeting appears to be "green" and environmentally slanted, to those of us who have been involved in
opposing numerous attempts to build an incinerator on island, it smells suspiciously like a resolution
to research and promote "waste-to-energy" technology (i.e., an incinerator!). The residents (and
voters!) of Hawaii County have already been down this road on multiple occasions over the past
decade and it is not worth our time to continue to propose such "solutions"to our waste stream
problems. As this resolution is quite vague, I admit that Chair Richards may have something else in
mind altogether, however that is not clear with the agenda description.
I urge each of you Council members to please refrain from supporting anything that
sounds like waste-to-energy. These technologies are not new and put simply, would be a step in
the WRONG direction, and would perhaps us back decades in our attempt to reduce our waste stream
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(and head towards our County's own goal towards zero waste). 'i
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Copied from the Meeting Agenda:
Res. 301-19: "URGES THE DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO
COLLABORATE AND DEVELOP A PLAN FOR A WASTE STREAM REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY
FOR RENEWABLE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATION FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAII.
Seeks to address an increasing supply of solid waste through a waste stream reduction technology
mechanism that would conserve County funds, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and improve
environmental conditions on Hawaii Island."
Missing from the above is the fine print that incinerating waste releases a myriad of toxins into our
atmosphere, including heavy metals like mercury, and other gnarly toxins like furans and dioxins. It
turns plastics pollution that currently litters our soils, coasts, and landfills, for example, into air
pollution that we all breathe. These toxic byproducts of these said "renewable and alternative energy
generation" machines cannot completely be removed by ANY filtration systems. Plus, up to 1/4 of the
mass of the waste will still need to be brought to landfill (but in a more toxic ash form). So, for every
loo tons we put into them, about 25 tons still get carted off to a landfill (not to mention the tons of
toxins released as microscopic nanoparticles into our atmosphere). This is NOT a green or clean
technology and in fact, will leave the County broke and tethered to corporate mainland system. The
true solution to solid waste is to REDUCE it to begin with and strive forward with a plan/ path
towards zero waste, to limit what we bring into our County to only things that we can properly deal
with through composting, recycling, reuse, and only when necessary, landfill. We must also continue
to support initiatives like the expanded polystyrene foam reduction and other single-use plastics and
toxin reduction bills. com'
Ref. tae
Ref. Datpeb—PE11 7 2019
For more info, check out the County's own Zero Waste website: https://www.hawaiizerowaste.org
Please allow the residents of Hawai°i County more time (and provide more detailed information)
about what exactly you have in mind, Chair Richards. I certainly hope that I am misunderstanding
your intent- and in which case, my apologies for this long-winded testimony. I don't doubt that there
is new technology out there that could help support our IDEM to help manage our waste island's
stream, but I would just advise us all to take our time and be sure we are making the best, most
holistic decisions possible for our island ecosystems and economy. YES! Let's seek for real
"renewable and alternative" energy generating options -lie wind and solar - and move
away from more toxic forms of energy production, like incineration®
Many thanks for your time, energy, and due-diligence in considering this VERY important resolution!
Me ka mahalo,
Megan
Megan R. Lamson Leatherman, M.S.
lamson a hawaii.edu
Post Office Box 1127
KEAIAKEKUA,HI 96750
cell 8o8/217-5777
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