Public Comments and Responses to the IRSWMP (Appendix I) - 2009

Home

APPENDIX I Comments Received from the Public About Plan Update with Responses This appendix provides comments received at two public meetings about the draft Integrated Resources and Solid Waste Plan (IRSWMP) update and correspondence submitted to the Solid Waste Division, and responses to those comments. The comments shown are transcribed from a tape recording of the meeting. Minor changes have been made to the transcription to improve clarity. Public Meeting, Kona Outdoor Circle, Kailua Kona, September 29, 2009 Ben Purell, student, West Hawaii Explorations Academy "I'm here to give my opinion about the landfill, or expanding the landfill. I don't think it's a very good idea because if we do that we're just going to get the idea that we can just make more trash, and put it into the expanded landfill. All sorts of toxins go into making those objects so when we put them in the ground and bury them, those toxins are just going to go out into the ground, soil, and water supply. Also we use resources to make these objects: we can't continue living this disposable lifestyle, can we not make a change now and choose to make this change instead of being forced to make this change later? I think that we should make this change now." Response: The IRSWMP includes many programs targeted to reducing the amount of waste going into landfills. Analysis conducted for the plan indicates that there will be some residual materials that remain after our zero waste efforts requiring disposal for the foreseeable future. Thus, some method of treatment or disposal will be necessary. After an estensive review of treatment and disposal options (including mass -burn waste to energy, distributed combustion, plasma arc gasification, gasification, pyrolysis, mechanical - biological treatment, and off - island disposal), the IRSWPM update is recommending investigating the feasibility and cost of expanding the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill (SHSL). Once those studies are complete, then decide to either expand that landfill or truck waste from East Hawaii to the West Hawaii Sanitary Landfill (WHSL). The IRSWMP recommends evaluating new conversion technologies during the next 5 -year planning cycle. Finally, as the County makes continued progress on the path to zero waste, less and less material will need to be treated or disposed of in landfills. 2. Skyler Bell, student, West Hawaii Explorations Academy "I'm against the landfill. About three million tons of waste is dumped into a landfill and about 62 to 75% of that waste can be recycled. Millions of dollars is spent on something that doesn't help us or our environment. If we keep taking advantage of our planet and what it gives us, then someday it will be gone and we will have nothing. When we build landfills some of the nasty, yucky water leaches into our ocean. We can spend that money on PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSES APPENDIX IDOC