To help make the holidays greener, the Solid Waste Division of the county Department of Environmental Management will again conduct its Treecycling program.
Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 20, residents can leave trees in the designated areas (not in the rubbish chutes) during normal business hours at any county landfill or transfer station (excluding Miloli‘i and Ocean View stations). Trees should be free from all decorations, stands, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Artificial or flocked trees are not accepted in the designated areas. Flocked trees, artificial trees or trees with tinsel are not recyclable and can be disposed of in the regular trash chutes.
Facility attendants will direct the public to the proper drop-off point (for more information or a map and directions to drop-off locations, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org/facilities).
All commercial customers must recycle trees at either the East Hawaii Organics Facility in Hilo or the West Hawaii Organics Facility in Pu‘uanahulu. Residential loads that contain green waste and trees will be required to scale. All commercial haulers or commercial holiday tree collectors must proceed to the county scale house before disposal.
For the Hilo Recycling and Transfer Station, residents with only holiday trees can proceed directly to the East Hawaii Organics Facility. Look for the designated area to drop off trees and there is no need to go to the county scale as is normally required.
People using the West Hawaii Organic Facility in Pu‘uanahulu for Christmas tree recycling should follow the same year-round procedures for green waste recycling. People must immediately proceed to the scale upon entering the facility.
Also, recycle kadomatsu decorations with other green waste. Kadomatsu decorations are normally a combination of bamboo, pine and flowers.
For more information about county recycling programs, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org or call the Solid Waste Division office at 961-8270.