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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-06-26 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES Wednesday, June 26, 2002 9:07 a.m. Kona MayorÓs Office Conference Room 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, #103, Kailua-Kona, HawaiÒi 96740 PRESENTALSO PRESENT :Barbara Bell:Steve Cassulo Riley SmithMike Kaha Sam KawamuraChristine Ross David Frankel STAFF Carolyn Witcher:Galen Kuba Mack AsatoLarry Capellas Peter Boucher EXCUSED :Peter MartinGerald Takase Luana JonesKristen Griffiths Hugh Ono CALL TO ORDER 1. Barbara Bell called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MAY 22, 2002 MEETING 2. Sam Kawamura moved to approve the minutes. Riley Smith seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA 3. There were no public comments. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA 4. There was no addendum to agenda. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION 5. DirectorÓs Report Galen Kuba provided a written report to the Commissioners. Barbara Bell will be confirmed as the Director of the Department of Environmental Management in July. Moving ahead with the Personnel Specialist, Accountant III, and the Recycling Coordinator. There is a list of qualified applicants for the Personnel Specialist position. There is no list for the Accountant III. Budget was approved as submitted. Harding ESE will be scheduling the four public meetings for mid-July. Solid Waste Division ChiefÓs Report Larry Capellas provided a written report to the Commissioners. Considering closing and gating the Honokaa Transfer Station similar to what was done in Puako. There are no funds for security and as a result commercial haulers, contractors and the public are abusing the transfer stations. Gating the transfer stations is important because it is easier to control the area. Perhaps HighwayÓs Honokaa baseyard could open the gate at 6:30 a.m., since the CountyÓs intent is to service the public. If transfer stations are gated, illegal dumping is expected. Mr. Capellas has informed Council on several occasions that as of mid 2004 there will be no more capacity at the Hilo Landfill. The daily average tonnage at the West HawaiÒi Landfill exceeded 300 tons per day in May. The County charges $35.00/ton, but should be charging $58.00/ton to tipping fee at the landfill, it is cheaper to throw away rubbish than to separate. Civil Service is working on the certified list for the Recycling Coordinator. It is important that Barbara Bell, as the incoming Director, be on the selection panel. The panel must be made up of individuals that are ranked or rated higher than the position being interviewed for. Wastewater Division ChiefÓs Report Peter Boucher provided a written report to the Commissioners. Corporation Counsel revised the draft bill based on comments from the Commission which will be submitted to the Mayor and on to Council. A sewage spill of an estimated 1,000 gallons occurred at the Wailuku Pump Station on 5/31/02 which was related to an electrical connection on a transformer to the float switches controls. A Press Release was issued, signs were posted and samples taken by the Department of Health. A redundant system was installed to prevent this situation from happening again. OLD BUSINESS 6. Discussion and Approval of Addendum to the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (Including Possible Council Actions) David Frankel wants to delete incineration as an option, but will wait until after the public comments. Comments from Commission members should be put in writing and given to the Secretary who will distribute to all Commission members for discussion at the upcoming meeting. Consolidated comments will be sent to the consultants. Mr. Fran incineration is the dioxines that are produced which is an environmental impact that he is not comfortable with. Carolyn Witcher has the same major concern. Ms. Witcher is also concerned that this is not the best long term solution. It is less expensive now, but may lead to greate expenses later. Riley Smith stated that if public funds are used, governmental regulations for monitoring emissions must be met. Mr. Frankel stated that the Federal standards are not sufficient in terms of dioxine emissions. Mr. Frankel will prepare some documentation for the Commission. Steve Cassulo stated that the ash from incineration goes into a monofill which is mandated by the State. The County may want to use it as either daily cover or make ashvault (road base) out of it. The State has problems with it since the ash may contain too many high metals or contaminants. Metals are now reduced because H-Power has cleaned up their operations. -2- NEW BUSINESS 7. Discussion on Kauai Solid Waste Facility (by Allison Fraley, Kauai Recycling Coordinator) Allison Fraley, Kauai Recycling Coordinator, discussed KauaiÓs r waste diversion. She was hired as a contractor to open the Kauai Resource Center which was built with Hurricane Iniki federal EDA grant funding. The facility was built for the purpose of reuse. Ms. Fraley changed the scope of the project from being solely reuse to being a full loop waste diversion facility (reuse, recycling, waste diversion education, recycled glass). Due to the expiration of the grant funds, equipment had to be purchased before a contractor was in place. Reuse/recycling proposals were not received. A portion of the space at the facility is reserved for reuse. Ordered $80,000 of equipment for the glass shop to produce the high end recycled, manufactured product from glass. The Resource Center is where the public will be educated about recycled products. KauaiÓs Recycle Program has been in place for 10 years. A private contractor has seven drop bins throughout the island and is accepting cardboard, newspaper, glass and aluminum. Kauai County is currently collecting 14 tons/month of corrugated cardboard, 26 tons/month of newspaper, 26 tons/month of glass and one ton/month of aluminum. One contractor is a sand blasting company and Kauai County pays them $200/ton at 50 tons/month. They provide a free commercial service for pickup of glass from bars and restaurants because their incentive is the $200/ton. Ms. Fraley also developed a home composting program which is an important part of waste diversion. The County purchased 670 Earth Machine home composting bins. They are about 3 ft high and 3 ft wide and are given out for free at recycling public education events. The bins are made of recycled plastic, have UV protectors and last 10 years. As part of that program, Ms. Fraley did a Master Composter training course in which 44 people were trained to be Master Composters and trained to teach other people to compost. The County provides an annual collection of Household Hazardous Waste. As part of the Greenwaste Diversion Program, the County accepts greenwaste from residents at no cost, grinds it, and gives it to the public which diverts 10,000 tons/year. The School Education Program consists of tours of the facility, giving out composting bins, and giving out curriculum. The County has a used motor oil recycling program where used oil from residents is accepted at the transfer stations. The County has 800 oil drainer containers to give away. The most expensive program is the Kauai Recycles Program (the bin system). The County is currently paying $250,000/year for the 60 tons/month of material that is being collected. The high cost is due to a lack of competition. The Resource Center is paying the County $800/month to occupy that space. All other costs are very minimal. Ms. Fraley started a Waste Diversion Grant Program this year in the amount of $10,000. Ms. Fraley discussed the keys to successful recycling and waste diversion programs. Reuse will consist of packaging materials and boxes. Island Recycling is taking pallets. They ship them to Oahu and repair them and redistribute them. The County is contracting with a private operator to run the glass processing. It appears that they will be self sufficient. They will basically produce one ton of glass product per month. The County has a mobile grinder that is run at no cost for residential greenwaste. Commercial greenwaste is accepted, but there is a charge. The tipping fee at the landfill is $56.00/ton. There is a coupon system at the transfer stations. New businesses are doing a bi-monthly curbside recycling pickup. Discussion on Greenwaste Program, Commercial and Residential Larry Capellas stated that greenwaste makes up approximately 10% of what is going into the East HawaiÒi Landfill. Greenwaste could possibly be suitable for daily landfill cover rather than crushed -3- rock. May be beneficial to Waste Management if the County pays them for the shredding of the green waste instead of HMR. The County could pay Waste Manageme Management would have a benefit of using the greenwaste as landfill cover. In 4 to 5 years, Waste Management will have more rock than is needed and it will be the CountyÓs responsibility to remove that rock. The County may run into problems with the cou island. Kauai consists of 4 transfer stations whereas the Big Island consists of 21 transfer stations that are spread out all over the island. Mr. Capellas mentioned that this is similar to what the ISWMP says in which selected transfer stations will be identified for expanded use. David Frankel feels we should budget more rather than charge commercial haulers for diverting. The County must increase the tipping fee. Election of Officers David Frankel nominated Riley Smith as Chair. Sam Kawamura seco Sam Kawamura, Barbara Bell, Mack Asato, Riley Smith, and David Frankel voted in favor. Carolyn Witcher Riley Smith was elected as Chair of the Environmental Management Commission. abstained. Riley Smith nominated Sam Kawamura for Vice Chair. Sam declined the nomination. Carolyn Witcher nominated David Frankel as Vice Chair. Riley Smith seconded. Mack Asato, Sam Kawamura, Riley Smith, Barbara Bell, and David Frankel voted in favor. Carolyn David Frankel was elected as Vice Chair of the Environmental Witcher abstained. Management Commission. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Increase Tipping Fee ANNOUNCEMENTS Wednesday, July 24, 2002, 8:30 Î 12:00 p.m., Waimea Civic Center, 67-5189 Kamamalu Street, Kamuela, HawaiÒi 96743 Wednesday, August 21, 2002, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., HawaiÒi Coun Street, Room 201, Hilo, HawaiÒi 96720 Wednesday, September 25, 2002, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Kona MayorÓs Office Conference Room, 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Room 103, Kailua-Kona, HawaiÒi 96740 ADJOURNMENT 8. David Frankel moved to adjourn the meeting. Sam Kawamura seconded the motion. Motion was carried unanimously. Meeting was adjourned at 11:34 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: KRISTEN GRIFFITHS Interim Environmental Management Secretary -4- -5-