Greencycling - Curbside and Drop-off
Greencycling!
Almost
every home has green waste and everyone can participate
Green
waste recycling -- greencycling -- holds tremendous potential to
reduce our island’s
waste. Oahu generates 200,000 tons of green waste per year,
but recycles only 70,000 tons. In 2007, the City began
the new automated green waste collection system using the
blue bins to make it more convenient for households to recycle.
We plan to expand the bin system islandwide by Spring 2010
(as part of the comprehensive
curbside recycling program) and increase greencycling
by an additional 65,000 tons.
Using a bin system
means no more bundling or bagging. Everything can be placed
directly into the bin, which can be wheeled around your property
as you do your yard work. But there’s no need to wait
for your greencycling bin to start recycling.
The City provides
curbside collection of green waste twice per month to more
than 150,000 homes that currently have automated refuse collection
using the wheeled bin. Some areas use the new blue bin system
for their green waste, while others place it out in bags
and bundles. Mililani and Hawaii Kai are piloting the new
comprehensive curbside recycling program which includes mixed
recyclables as well as green waste.
For those neighborhoods
where greencycling pickup has yet to be extended, you can
drop off your green waste at any of the City’s refuse
convenience centers. Drop-off may also be more convenient
when you do major yard work and have large loads.
In a state that’s
green and lush year-round, greencycling makes so much sense.
Our green waste is processed into new products right here
on Oahu, providing a fully sustainable, closed-loop recycling
system. You can pickup free mulch at sites around the island
and purchase local compost at garden shops for use back on
your lawn and garden.
Recycling starts
with each of us. So please, give this program your support. –Mayor
Mufi Hannemann
Curbside
Pickup -- Bin system
Wahiawa, Waialua, Haleiwa, Sunset, Kahuku, Laie, Hauula,
Kaaawa, Waikane, Waiahole, Kahaluu, Kaneohe, Kailua, Waimanalo
(approx. 50,000 homes)
How this new system works:
- Twice-per-month collection.
- Green waste set out in blue bin.
- Use your gray refuse bin
for green waste when you have more than fits into the blue
bin. Your green waste pickup day
follows immediately after your refuse pickup day, leaving your refuse bin empty
to
use for excess green waste should you need it.
- Got
more green waste than fits into two bins? The City is issuing
additional green bins to those homes with high volumes
of green waste beyond what fits into their current two bins. Residents
can call the City’s Recycling Office to request
an additional bin at 768-3200. When the bin system
was initiated,
the City
picked up excess green waste in bags left alongside
the bins. But this was a temporary, interim measure
to allow
everyone
to transition into the new bin system. This additional
pickup service
is currently being phased out as additional green bins
are distributed.
- If your household does not generate
consistent, high volumes of green waste for every pickup,
you may be able to
work within the two bins you currently have by metering your green waste
over more than one collection day and employing techniques
that reduce the volume. Green waste pickup is provided twice per month,
while most households do yard work monthly. It may
not be possible to set out all of your green waste on the very next single collection
day. You may need to meter it, or distribute it over
the two
collection days provided each month. Also, please consider
leaving grass clippings on your lawn as you mow – it’s
called grass-cycling and adds nutrients to the soil.
A full year of
grass-cycling is equivalent to one fertilizer treatment.
Another volume reducing technique is to allow leaves
and branches to
sit in a pile and dry out for about a week before putting
them into your bin.
- Deposit loose green waste into bin.
Do not use bags as much as possible.
- All green waste must fit in the bin with
the lid closed. Bins with green waste protruding out the top
cannot be
collected.
- Heavy amounts of grass clippings should be bagged to prevent
clumping. Or place cut branches in the bottom of
the bin to help the material slide out during collection.
 |
Curbside
Pickup -- Bag system
Honolulu, Halawa,
Salt Lake, Red Hill, Pearl City, Aiea, Waipahu, Waipio, Kunia,
Ewa Beach, Makakilo, Kapolei, Honokai Hale to Makaha (approx.
100,000 homes)
How this old
system works (This
service has been available to households for years, but not
enough people have been using it. Hopefully, the new bin
system will make it more convenient to recycle, but please
don’t wait to get started.) All homes will switch to
the bin system by Spring 2010 as part of the comprehensive
curbside recycling program.
- Twice-per-month
collection.
- Bag yard waste
or place in your own 35-gallon containers.
- Trees and branches
cut to 3ft. lengths and bundled. Bundles must weigh less
than 50 lbs.
Curbside Pickup
Schedules
Twice-per-month pickup provided in all neighborhoods with
automated refuse collection. For your neighborhood’s
pickup schedule, see the collection
schedule maps or call your area collection yard:
| Honolulu
(Salt Lake to Hawaii Kai) |
832-7840 |
| Kapaa (Kailua,
Kaneohe,
Waimanalo) |
262-7298 |
| Koolauloa (Kahuku
to Kahaluu) |
293-5657 |
Pearl City (Pearl
City, Aiea, Waipahu, Waipio Gentry, Halawa to Makakilo,
Kapolei)
|
455-9644 |
| Wahiawa (Wahiawa,
Kunia, Mililani, Waipio Acres) |
621-5241 |
| Waialua (Waialua,
Haleiwa, Sunset) |
637-4795 |
| Waianae
(Makaha to Honokai Hale) |
697-1178 |
Drop-off
Sites
 |
| Island residents can bring large volumes of yard waste to
drop-off convenience centers. Separate bins just for "green
waste" are hauled to composting sites for processing into
mulch and compost products. |
Drop off green waste at City facilities or directly
at the composting sites:
Refuse & Recycling
Convenience Centers
Open 7 days; 7:00am – 6:00pm
Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day
Ewa, Geiger Rd.
Laie, Kam Hwy.
Wahiawa, Wilikina Dr.
Waianae, Plantation Rd.
Waimanalo, Hihimanu St.
Waipahu, Waipahu Depot Rd.
Kawailoa (Haleiwa), Kawailoa Rd.
More on locations
and guidelines for convenience centers
Composting
Sites
Hawaiian Earth Products
- Leeward, Campbell Industrial
Park 682-5895 (Monday-Friday, 7:00am – 3:30pm; Saturday, 7:30am -
3:00pm; Sunday, 7:30am - 11:30 am)
- Windward, Kailua, Kapaa Quarry Rd. 261-5877 (open 7 days, 7:00am – 4:30pm)
Free
mulch sites
Organic mulch holds in moisture, controls weeds and reduces
soil erosion, saving energy and resources. Mulch can be used
around plants in the garden or as soft "paving" for
garden paths. Mulch (and compost) can be purchased at local garden
shops or directly from Oahu composting companies. Mulch is also
available free from the City.
 |
| The first step in processing yard waste into mulch
and compost is grinding it into smaller pieces in large
tub grinders. |
Ala Wai Community Garden (has mulch only during
Ala Wai School’s
vacation days)
Location: At makai end of University Ave. – adjacent to
Ala Wai Elementary School
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden (Kaneohe)
Location: Drive through entrance gates past the 1st brown guard
shack. Proceed about ½ mile down the road to the mulch
pile; it’s on the left side of the road, just past the
2nd brown guard shack with the yellow “Welcome to Ho’omaluhia” banner
on it.
Hawaiian Earth Products Windward, Ltd. (Kailua)
Call: 261-5877
Location: Kapaa Quarry Rd. – go left at fork in road immediately
past Tsf Station – HEP is immediately on right side of
road just past the fork.
Hawaiian Earth Products (Campbell)
Call: 682-5895
Location: Turn right off Kalaeloa Blvd. onto Malakole St., go
approx ¾ mile – look for both the Menehune Magic
and Hawaiian Earth Products signs on right side of street.
Hawaii Kai Community Garden
Location: Going mauka on Lunalilo Home Rd., turn right onto Maniniholo
Street (two streets past Hawaii Kai Dr.—adjoining far end
of Kamiloiki Park). The Community Garden is near the corner of
Maniniholo St. and Lunalilo Home Rd.
Kaiaka Bay Beach Park
Location: Off Haleiwa Road makai of Haleiwa Elementary School.
As you enter the park, on the right side there is an entrance
roadway to a warehouse; the mulch pile is on the left side
of that road next to the ironwood trees.
Leeward Community College
Location: On LCC campus at ‘Ewa end of Ala Ike St. right
across from the Community Recycling bin.
Makiki Community Garden
Location: Just off Makiki St., adjoining Makiki District Park.
Park in parking area for the tennis courts and walk to the mulch
pile at the back of the community garden.
Manoa Community Garden
Location: 3155 Manoa Road; mulch pile located next to
the Community Recycling Bin.
Waimea Valley
Location: Makai end of parking lot #2 (2nd lot on right going
mauka). Gates are open from dawn to
dusk. Contact person is Bob Leinau at 638-7766
x 208.
Wahiawa Community Garden
Location: On Kamehameha Hwy. across from Wheeler Army Airfield
(piles visible from road).
For additional information call the City's Recycling Office
at 768-3200 or email us.
Grasscycling
 |
| Leaving grass clippings on the lawn when you mow returns
nutrients to the soil. It also reduces your yard
work time and saves you money on trash bags. |
Leave grass clippings on your lawn to return nutrients to the
soil. Grass cycling also will reduce time spent raking and bagging
and help you save on trash bag expenses.
For More Information and Assistance
UH Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
(CTAHR) has produced an informative booklet: "Backyard
Composting -- Recycling a Natural Product" in PDF format.
For
more information on recycling call 768-3200 or email
us.
For curbside collection information call your neighborhood
collection yard.
