HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-27 EMC Agenda item 5-b(ii) - Funding Hawai'i County Solid Waste Management Options (GA)
Discussion Draft by Georjean Adams for EMC Meeting 10/27/21
Agenda item 5-b(ii) -Funding Hawai‘i County Solid Waste Management Options
Regardless of the approach to funding county solid waste management, we need to have fairly
detailed information on the true costs of managing the wastes generated on the island. This
should include evaluating operating efficiency with current Transfer Station locations, having a
single landfill, and the life cycle impacts of recycling operations. Also, while it has been argued
that we need a more current waste audit of the percentages of what kinds of waste are
created, SWAC felt the minor changes in percentages would not warrant the costs of a
professional audit.
1. Status Quo: annual budget proposed to County general fund and state managed funds -
subject to anytime changes (see presentation 7/28/21)
General Fund (Property Tax) 65%
Tipping Fees (commercial wasteonly) 33%
Recycling Grants (mostly from state DOH EPR fee programs) 2%
CIP – county bonding authority
2. Enterprise Fund for Solid Waste Management (same as Wastewater Management) –
Fee for service
Enterprise Fund focuses on a long-term planning process that includes preventative and
ongoing maintenance, staffing, training, and future needs, as well as financial reporting and
auditingMost of the financing is based on the fees or bonds backed by future fee payments.
See Bizfluent description of an Enterprise Fund (https://bizfluent.com/facts-7304143-
government-enterprise-fund-.html)
A. Increase Tipping Fees at Landfills
- Revise residential hauler credit
-Increase fees for special wastesor wastes that could have been recycled.
-Increase tipping fees per inflation and realistic costs
B.Pay As You Throw–fee per pound or volume differentiatedby waste vs recyclable
to incentivize waste reduction and recycling. Primarily residential butcould also be
commercial.
-New fees on residents. Need to establish curbside pickup where appropriate or
monitoring by weight or volume via scales ortagging system at the Transfer Station
gate.
-Allow small business to use recycling bins (only) at Transfer Stations for a less than
tipping fee.
-Enforce litter rules/education
C.Increase percent for SW on property tax –line item to show cost for service and
match totrue cost of service
D.Establish county TAT for waste management(water and solid) -to cover proportion
contributed by tourists island-wide
Discussion Draft by Georjean Adams for EMC Meeting 10/27/21
E.Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR) -to take over programsor reimburse
county. Likely state level law needed and subject to uncertain distributionto
county.
- Improve electronics EPR state law and fees
- Expand oil recycling to smaller quantities
- Other product categories that make sense for island (e.g., packaging, paint,
batteries, mattresses)
F. Waste Reduction Programs – not free, but could lower net costs.
- Increase recycling opportunities (e.g., compost collection and facilities, on island
processing, construction & demolition recycling and less costly disposal sites).
- Sustainability education
- Expanded reuse capacity (e.g., repair, better reuse center facilities, materials
exchanges for B2B)
- Policies that encourage/require recycling collection services by business and
residential owner associations
- Bans. Note: Organics, Paper and Construction & Demolition Waste are by far our
biggest volumes, with Plastics at <10% of landfill volume.
G. Point of Sale Service Fee on Products – set fee based on what? The more complex,
the more cost to administer. Simpler is regressive and does not result in waste
reduction.
- Flat per pound landfill tipping cost for everything ($0.10 - $0.15/lb, including cars?)
- Likelihood of being recycled (e.g., same cost for food even if will be composted?)
- Refundable deposit for recyclables (HI5 exempt?)
- Hazard of waste product (e.g., electronics, oil-based)
- Whether waste is landfilled or sewered (direct fee to appropriate fund)
- Are online purchases able to deal with “fees” vs taxes?
3. Continuous Grant Acquisitions – to build infrastructure, fund innovative solutions and
education. Doubtful this is sustainable to maintain operations.
4. Support public private partnerships to collect and repurpose current waste with a
philosophy of sustainable resource management. This would require dealing with:
- Konno decision restrictions
- Current contracts
- County and state restrictions that discourage volunteer organizations to provide
services such as public schools that can only use county contractors and beach
cleanups
- Leveraging programs like Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC)
- Piloting innovative technologies with private parties and educational institutions
- Establish Recycling Market Development Centers