Hilo garbage soon will be making its way across the island to the West Hawaii landfill at Puuanahulu, thanks to a unanimous vote Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council.
Hilo garbage soon will be making its way across the island to the West Hawaii landfill at Puuanahulu, thanks to a unanimous vote Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council.
Two trucks per day hauling garbage west would cost the county about $5,000 per month but save $60,000 in tipping fees, for a net savings of $55,000 per month, said Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, sponsor of the measure. The county currently pays landfill operator Waste Management Inc. to dump 8,500 tons per month in the landfill, but it would get a reduced rate by increasing the amount to 9,000 tons per month, or 300 tons per day.
“This is one piece of the big picture puzzle,” Wille said.
The West Hawaii community was up in arms when it learned about the cross-county garbage trucking three years ago, resulting in a ban. Opponents to using the Puuanahulu landfill to extend the life of the Hilo landfill worried coqui frogs, little fire ants and other invasive species would come along for the ride.
But Wille said the community is more accepting as the county moves toward a zero-waste philosophy that incorporates more recycling, composting of green waste and diverting biodegradable plastics from the landfill.
Bill 100, which goes into effect immediately upon approval by Mayor Billy Kenoi, gives the Environmental Management Department director flexibility to send waste, except compostables and recyclables, from any transfer station to the Puuanahulu or Hilo landfills under certain conditions.
Garbage could be sent to either landfill to avoid penalty fees, to meet designated minimum volumes to qualify for discounted fees or when repairs or improvements are being made at one of the sites. Under current law, the mayor, during a time of declared emergency can, by executive order, direct the transportation of materials from a transfer station to a landfill as deemed practicable and necessary.
Kenoi said in a text message Wednesday he favors the bill, but he needs to read it before committing to it.
“I will take a close look at the bill and the most recent amendments passed by the County Council to make a final determination,” Kenoi said. “But am looking favorably at the legislation because of the support of the Environmental Management Commission and unanimous support of the County Council.”
Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd said the bill will serve a twofold purpose.
First, it will lower tipping fees at the West Hawaii landfill by allowing the county to get a discounted fee by reaching a minimum level of waste. Second, the county can use the empty trucks to haul mulch from the West Hawaii landfill back to East Hawaii.
The Puuanahulu landfill has been exceeding the storage capacity of mulch allowed under its state Department of Health permit because of low demand, while Hilo residents can’t get enough of the stuff. The county had to delay a Hilo reuse center as it dipped into money earmarked for it in order to pay for trucking the mulch.
Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung praised Wille’s bill, saying the cross-county trucking ban was a political gambit by a former councilman running for mayor. Former Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, representing Hamakua, sponsored the ban in 2012.
“People were trying to gain political capital. If someone from Hilo had proposed it, it wouldn’t have flown,” Chung said Wednesday. “(Wille) was the right person to introduce this.”
North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff said the Kohala resorts, which previously opposed cross-county garbage hauling, now are on board, provided the county uses Saddle Road rather than Hawaii Belt Road. She said concerns about the introduction of coqui frogs and fire ants from East Hawaii have been diminished by assurances Puuanahulu’s hot dry climate will kill them.
“I know it was controversial, but I think we worked out some of those concerns,” Eoff said.
Garbage from 12 transfer stations already is being trucked to the West Hawaii landfill, which has an expected life span of another 36 years, or 25 years if the Hilo garbage stream is added. Garbage as far east as Laupahoehoe on the north side of the island and Naalehu on the south side currently is trucked west to Puuanahulu.
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.