Model Programs

Many companies have already established successful programs to recycle and reduce their operations' waste. Their managers have offered their time as peer consultants to share their experiences with other companies, and their programs provide working models for Hawaii's business community.

The following profiles of successful programs have been selected for their unique and/or comprehensive design. All of the companies certified by the Partnership could not be shown here. Subsequent updates will highlight programs from other companies.

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Kyotaru Hawaii Corporation

Policy/Commitment: In an effort to be responsible community members, Kyotaru Hawaii Corp. is committed to recycling, source reduction and buying recycled materials as part of an efficient and cost-effective operation.

Scope: Four family restaurants on Oahu: Kyotaru Japanese Restaurant in Waikiki and Pearl City; Columbia Inn on Kapiolani Boulevard and in Kaimuki. Two take-out restaurants in Honolulu: Kyotaru Take Out in Bishop Square and Pioneer Plaza.

Results: 50% reduction in waste hauling frequency and cost.  Recycle cardboard, glass, office paper, office products (printer cartridges and ribbons), edible food to the homeless, inedible food to farmers, and cooking oils.

Benefits: Cost savings! $15,000 annually.

Started: 1989

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GTE Hawaiian Tel

Policy/Commitment: GTE Hawaiian Tel is committed to resource conservation and partnering with communities to protect the environment, including programs to reduce solid waste, promote environmental awareness among employees, recycle all materials possible and stimulate the market by purchasing recycled materials.

Scope: Metals recycling companywide (237 facilities); waste oil recycled from fleet vehicles; office paper and cardboard recycled in nine administrative facilities (or 85 percent of administrative offices); surplus computers and furniture are donated to non-profit agencies or sold; phone book recycling coordinated as a community service on six major islands, with phone book recycling contests among schools on four islands; employee volunteers have participated in State’s Adopt-a-Highway program with quarterly cleanups since 1992.

Results: To date in 1996, GTE Hawaiian Tel has recycled over two million pounds of scrap metal with net revenue of over $725,000 (scrap and surplus). Now handling scrap and surplus metal recycling for two external customers. Since 1994, customer bills have been printed on both sides of recycled paper, reducing the amount of paper used by 30 percent. In 1996, 755,000 books (755 tons of paper) were recycled, representing 46 percent of all books distributed in 1995.

Benefits: Reduced trash collection costs; decreased use of landfills; new revenue stream from handling metals recycling; positive community image and increased public awareness about recycling.

Extra: 1993 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Koa Anvil award for communications on phone book recycling; 1992 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Ilima Award for communications program on phone book recycling; 1992 Governor’s Energy Award for building automation projects, recycling, lighting programs, fuel tank monitoring and refrigerant recycling.

Started: 1978–metals recycling; 1990–office paper and phone book recycling

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Chaney, Brooks & Company

Policy/Commitment: Chaney, Brooks & Company's commitment to our clients, their assets, and their tenants, and our concern for Hawaii's environment prompted the action. We have designed and implemented several waste reduction programs for the varied properties we manage and own. Our clients look to us for leadership in enacting programs that benefit the community, while making sound business sense.

Scope: Office buildings - recycling paper, cardboard, telephone directories and Christmas trees. Castle & Cooke Community Service Center, Ceridian Building, First Insurance Building, Grosvenor Center, Haseko Center and Heald College Center. Industrial buildings - recycling cardboard. Shopping centers - recycling cardboard and green waste. Condominium associations - recycling newspapers, bottles, cans and green waste.

Results: Waste reduction and decreases in hauling frequency and refuse removal costs.

Benefits: Contribution to Hawaii's environment and lower operating costs.

Challenges: Educating tenants on the recycling process and its benefits, and finding space on small properties to locate collection bins.

Note: In our planning for our managed properties, we have either recommended or implemented energy-efficiency measures, including xeriscaping.

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Sheraton Hotels

Policy/Commitment: Sheraton recognizes the importance of the responsible stewardship of our island’s natural resources and have therefore implemented a comprehensive resource management program that includes recycling, source reduction, purchasing of recycled products, and involvement in community affairs.

Scope: Four Waikiki hotels (Sheraton Waikiki, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, and Sheraton Moana Surfrider), representing 4,200 guest rooms, actively recycling office paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, newspaper, mixed waste paper, used cooking oil, and food waste. The Sheraton Waikiki recently implemented a sorting center to separate all guestroom generated waste materials.

Note: Company’s recycling program is part of its comprehensive resource management strategy that includes the commitment to purchase recycled products, identify source reduction opportunities, and support market development in all three areas.

Results: 20% waste reduction; nearly 33% reduction in hauling frequency; average 50 tons a month in recycled materials. Nearly 55% of guestroom waste is recycled.

Benefits: Improved employee morale, enhanced reputation with customers, and cost savings.

Challenges: Minimizing necessary space for collection and sorting; training employees to properly segregate recyclable materials; minimizing collection frequency.

Extra: 1994 Hawaii Investor Magazine Investing in the Environment Award; 1994 citation from Hawaii State Senate; 1994 KITV Environmental Achievement Award; 1991 Governor’s Energy Award for best recycling/energy efficiency programs in hotel category; 1992 Hawaii Visitors Bureau Five Kahili Award for best recycling program in Hawaii hospitality industry

Savings: $100,000 annually

Started: 1989

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Young Laundry & Dry Cleaning

Policy/Commitment: Young Laundry and Dry Cleaning is committed to the principles of good corporate citizenship. As part of this, we believe that the reduction of waste through reuse and the promotion of recycling help to preserve resources for future generations and are also an integral part of good business practices.

Scope: Twenty-four stores throughout Oahu and the main production facility.

Results: Annually reuses 400,000 hangers and recycles 3 tons of unusable hangers, 2 tons of plastic wrap and 12 tons of cardboard.

Benefits: Cost savings, enhanced reputation with customers

Savings: $25,000 a year

Started: April 1992

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Foodland Super Market, Ltd.

Policy/Commitment: Foodland, the state’s largest supermarket company, is committed to waste reduction, recycling, purchasing recycled products and supporting environmental community programs.

Scope: Foodland Super Market, Ltd., has 30 stores (23 Foodland, 7 Sack N Save) on four major islands. 2,500 employees. Foodland recycles its corrugated cardboard, organic waste, office and computer paper, aluminum, uniforms, as well as metals from its print shop.

Note: Foodland prints shelf tags on recycled paper; paper bags at checkout are made from recycled paper. Foodland offers a five-cent rebate to customers who bring their own grocery bags for repacking groceries.

Foodland has a free customer brochure called "50 Earth Friendly Tips" featuring the school drop-off recycling centers.

Results:

1) Diverts 900,000 pounds of meat/seafood a year from 19 Oahu stores to be converted into agricultural feed

2) Diverts 670,000 pounds a year of produce scraps from 14 stores to pig farmers

3) Diverts another 300,000 pounds of organic waste a year from five stores to be converted into electricity and organic fertilizer

4) Recycles 500,000 pounds of corrugated cardboard annually

5) Averages 30 percent savings in electric bills since retrofits with high-efficiency ballasts and fluorescent lighting tubes and energy-efficient air-conditioning systems

6) Donates over 45 tons of food a year to the Hawaii Food Bank

Benefits: Cost savings and positive image in the community

Challenges: Buying recycled products that are always competitively priced

Extra: 1990 Governor’s Energy Award for commercial establishments; 1991 Hawaii Investor’s Investment in the Environment Award for solid waste recycling; 1992 Take Pride in America Award for good stewardship of resources; 1992 Better Business Bureau’s Business of the Year; 1993 Retail Merchants of Hawaii Award for Company Contributing the Most to the Environment and Community; 1992 the first company in Hawaii to be certified by the Partnership for the Environment; 1993 Outdoor Circle Sterling Silver Chopsticks Award

Savings: More than $200,000 annually

Started: 1990 in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of Earth Day

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City and County of Honolulu

Policy/Commitment: The City is committed to reducing Oahu’s waste and minimizing our use of landfills. The City encourages waste reduction in all sectors and intends to provide direction by example.

Scope: Ten administrative facilities, involving more than 2,000 employees; all City parks; the Honolulu Zoo.

Results: Recycles 120 tons of white and colored office paper, newspaper, and cardboard annually from the City’s major administration buildings, including Honolulu Hale, Honolulu Municipal Building, Police Headquarters, and the Board of Water Supply. All green waste from City parks is mulched/composted. The Honolulu Zoo composts animal manure and green waste into a nutrient-rich product called "Honolulu Zoo Poo," which can be purchased in the Zootique. The Zoo also provides a showcase for locally-made recycled products, including recycled plastic picnic tables, benches and fencing, crushed glass garden sculptures and glasphalt walkways.

Benefits: Less waste. Employees like it. Parks’ green waste is turned into mulch for use in parks to enrich the soil. Hawaii families visiting the Zoo can see how their recyclables were transformed into new products.

Extra: The City passed ordinances requiring it to purchase only recycled-content paper - from paper towels to computer paper - and to use glasphalt in the base for road reconstruction.

Savings: Income from paper recycling has totaled more than $65,000 since the start of the program.

Started: 1990–office recycling program. 1994–parks green waste program. 1996–recycling at the Zoo.

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Hard Rock Cafe

Policy/Commitment: Hard Rock Cafe founder Peter Morton sits on the Board of ECO (Earth Communications Office) and sits on the Board of Trustees of the NRDC

(Natural Resources Defense Council). Mr. Morton is responsible for the Hard Rock’s slogan "Save the Planet" and is the example and inspiration for the "Save the Planet" department operating in the corporate office of the Hard Rock Cafe. The "Save the Planet" department has a goal to educate and inform the public on important environmental concerns and to offer options and suggestions on how each individual can make a difference in the quality of life we share on this planet. We offer assistance and encouragement to other restaurants as well as private citizens who wish to review their policies in the face of environmental issues. To set the example, we have made environmental awareness a part of our training and policy. We expect our employees to consider this part of the "job" with the Hard Rock Cafe. All Hard Rock Cafes worldwide were united under one corporate banner in 1996, and our new owner, The Rank Organisation, is proudly continuing and expanding Peter Morton's example in 80 Hard Rock Cafes worldwide.

Scope: Restaurants in Honolulu and Maui actively recycle cardboard, glass and used cooking oil. Honolulu recycles all biodegradable waste, as well.

Results: Nearly 60 tons of refuse per month that previously went to the landfill is now recycled.

Benefits: Reducing the adverse impact on Hawaii’s natural resources. Improves staff morale. Cost savings.

Challenges: Teaching source separation techniques and maintaining staff motivation.

Savings: Over $50,000 per year.

Started: London, 1971; Honolulu, 1987; and Maui, 1990.

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Dole Fresh Fruit Company

Policy/Commitment: Dole Fresh Fruit Company maintains an active recycling program. Dole is committed to reducing green waste going to the City’s landfills.

Scope: Two Dole Fresh Fruit facilities, involving more than 500 employees.

Results: Reincorporate more than 100,000 tons of green waste into the soil each year.

Benefits: No green waste to haul away.

Extra: Reincorporating the green waste also helps to condition the soil.

Savings: With the life cycle of a planted area being two to three years, the cost of not hauling this tonnage is astronomical.

Started: This practice was instituted before 1994.

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Hilton Hawaiian Village

Policy/Commitment: Hilton Hawaiian Village is committed to a comprehensive recycling program and, as part of this program, recycles organic wet waste and dry waste (cardboard, glass, paper, phone books, aluminum cans).

Scope: The largest resort in Hawaii, representing more than 2,000 employees and 2,545 rooms.

Note: A recycling team of 18 Hilton Hawaiian Village members coordinates the hotel's recycling efforts. All of the hotel's recycling activities utilize existing employees with no additional labor costs.

Results: Over 1100 tons of "wet" and "dry" waste recycled in 1997.

Benefits: Cost and space savings. Customers and team members feel good. Less waste.

Savings: $100,000 in 1997

Started: Early 1980s

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Pepsi Cola Company

Policy/Commitment: Pepsi Cola and its employees are committed to reducing waste and minimizing the use of our landfills, and have implemented a comprehensive resource management program that includes recycling, source reduction and purchasing of recycled products.

Scope: Employees in the office, plant, and warehouse actively recycle office paper, cardboard, glass and aluminum cans.

Note: Pepsi discontinued the use of cardboard boxes for one and two liter packages and uses a reusable plastic tray. This has saved the company about $250,000 per year.

Results: 35% waste reduction and 50% reduction in hauling fees.

Benefits: Less waste and cost savings.

Extra: Formed a partnership with the City and County of Honolulu to test glasphalt at our Halawa Valley plant.

Savings: $3,500 annually

Started: 1990

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Eagle Hardware & Garden

Policy/Commitment: Eagle Hardware & Garden is committed to educating its

employees and customers about environmental issues, including, but not limited to, recycling and waste reduction. Eagle Hardware also offers environmentally friendly products as an alternative to common household and garden chemicals.

Scope: The Oahu Eagle Hardware & Garden store generates each month over 48 tons of cardboard and over one ton of computer and white office paper, all of which is shipped to a cardboard recycling plant. Confidential documents are shredded and recycled into packing material for our outer island and international ship outs. All other paper is cut up and distributed to each department and used as phone message paper. Aluminum cans are collected in the employee’s lunch room and donated to a local elementary school.

Note: Eagle is also working with its vendors to require their manufacturers to research and inform us about the environmental amiability of their products (i.e., recycled packaging, manufacturing practices, energy conservation, water conservation and/or environmentally friendly products). Eagle, to date, has organized four of its own "Environmental Festivals" which included such organizations as City and County "Recycle Hawaii" and The State Department of Health.

Results: 60% waste reduction, average 49 tons a month in recycled materials and an increase in sales of environmentally friendly products.

Benefits: Improved employee morale and a feeling of pride for what we are doing to preserve the environment for present and future generations. In addition, we are limiting waste, which, in turn, generates cost savings.

Challenges: Creating awareness and educating all 265 of our employees. Then, incorporating vendor assistance and moving toward the same objective: to educate and create awareness to the public.

Savings: Reduced waste disposal costs.

Started: 1995

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Tripler Army Medical Center

Policy/Commitment: The Staff at Tripler Army Medical Center is committed in pursuing all avenues to minimize the environmental impact and improve the health and safety of our employees and neighbors. Through the use of pollution prevention techniques, we continually evaluate our ongoing operations to identify areas where toxic pollutants may be minimized or eliminated. Our ultimate priority will be to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous materials and generation of toxic pollutants at the source or, when possible, reuse and recycle.

Scope: Tripler Army Medical Center actively recycles laboratory solvents (xylene and ethanol), lead acid batteries, silver, green waste, food waste, office paper and cardboard, toner cartridges, and cooking oil. Tripler Army Medical Center provides medical treatment to Hawaii's military community. Tripler Army Medical Center consists of a medical center and seven medical clinics on Oahu and the Big Island: Fort Shafter Dental Clinic, Fort Shafter Veterinary Clinic, Schofield Barracks Health Clinic, Schofield Barracks Dental Clinic, Schofield Barracks Veterinary Clinic, Kilauea Military Camp Medical Clinic, Pohakuloa Training Area Medical Clinic.

Results: Averaging 40% solid waste reduction; 176 tons per year in recycled material.

Benefits: Enhance a team effort approach with the local community to preserve the Hawaiian Islands, improve employee morale and cost savings.

Challenges: Waste reduction takes a team effort through the cooperation and support of the Staff at Tripler Army Medical Center and the Command leadership in Headquarters, Chief - Preventive Medicine Service and Chief - Logistics Division. We formed the Functional Management Team for the Environment of Care.

Savings: Estimated cost savings of $256,000 annually.

Started: 1995

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Ihilani Resort & Spa

Policy/Commitment: With the focus on preservation of Hawaii's limited resources, Ihilani is committed to creating an atmosphere where both resort guests and employees can directly affect the quality of Hawaii's environment by participating in and learning from an ecosensitive culture. This mission statement is a part of the employee handbook, which is distributed to all new employees.

Scope: Ihilani Resort & Spa has 387 guest rooms, four restaurants, two swimming pools, and a 35,000 square-foot Spa. Our staff of 700 has embraced an aggressive recycling campaign which began in April 1998. We currently recycle glass, aluminum, office paper, newspaper, cardboard, green waste and wet waste. Our state-of-the-art physical plant harvests heat generated from the waste heat from the air conditioning system to pre-heat the water used in the kitchens and guest rooms. Electronators generate chlorine for the two swimming pools, and our toilets, showers and faucets are all fitted with water-saving restrictors.

Results: During the first four months, April - July 1998, Ihilani recycled over 16 tons of paper, resulting in a cost savings of over $1,100 in hauling fees. Other recovered materials are yet to be measured.

Benefits: Increased teamwork and employee morale are the result of a variety of projects where employees formed committees to produce an Ihilani Family coloring book on recycling, educational posters for the employee cafeteria and an employee recycling reference guide.

Challenges: Purchasing recycled paper goods at competitive prices. Developing appropriate methods to allow our guests to learn about and participate in our recycling efforts.

Extra: Our Adopt-a-School program with Nanakuli High School includes aluminum recycling to purchase computers and a joint project with employees and students to produce a mural about recycling on the walls of the resort's employee entrance hallway.

Started: April 1998

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Kahala Mandarin Oriental, Hawaii

Policy/Commitment: Kahala Mandarin Oriental is committed to the improvement and protection of the environment through efforts from all departments in recycling, waste reduction, product selection, and staff education.

Scope: The Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel has 371 guest rooms and suites, three restaurants, a pool and a saltwater lagoon. The Kahala recycles food waste, cardboard, glass, newspaper, white paper and aluminum. Our purchasing department encourages our suppliers to deliver goods in recyclable packages. Housekeeping has replaced plastic and paper products with reuseable cloth and provides amenities in recycled packages. The "Green Team" plans, coordinates and executes environmental projects for our colleagues and the community.

Results: Cost savings and less waste. Approximate amounts recycled each month: 45 tons of food waste; 8-10,000 glass bottles; 300,000 pieces of paper.

Benefits: Improved employee morale and lower operating expenses.

Extra: 1997 Hawaii Investor Magazine "Investing in the Environment" Award.

Started: Food waste recycling program began February 1996. Other recycling efforts have evolved over the years.

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Intrade Corporation

Policy/Commitment:  Prevent recyclable materials from entering the waste stream, recover recyclable materials once they have entered the waste stream, make a positive contribution to the local economy, and increase national and international commerce.  Intrade Corporation is a principled business, striving to meet the highest standards of honesty, integrity, fairness, and industry in its day to day operations.

Scope:  Honolulu based Intrade Corporation collects empty printer, facsimile, multifunction, and copier cartridges (ink jet and laser) from all areas around Oahu (efforts to collect from the outer islands are in the works), then sorts, processes, and repacks them for sale to remanufacturers.  Customers include local remanufacturers, as well as remanufacturers of all sizes across the U.S. mainland, Canada, and into Hong Kong and China.

Collection activities include acceptance of donated empties, cash payments for selected cartridges, and donations to charitable causes in the name of the cartridge source.  Intrade recently signed a year-long agreement with the Aloha United Way to donate payments in the name of cartridge donors, and has also instituted collection programs at Farrington and Mililani High Schools (other schools are currently being approached).

In addition to the above, Intrade also offers an exchange program that gives buyers a credit for their empty cartridges when they purchase a replacement cartridge of the same type.  Intrade sells remanufactured ink jet and laser toner cartridges, as well as new, branded cartridges.

Note:  Intrade is not a remanufacturer - it does not remanufacture or refill any cartridges.

Started:  Incorporated December, 1998.  Operated "on demand" until moving to its current Kalihi location in November, 1999.  Full scale operations commenced July, 2000.

Results:  Market acceptance of Intrade operations has been remarkably and uniformly positive.  Intrade has provided a much needed alternative to trashing or returning to the mainland what many recognize are high value recyclable items that can benefit the local economy.

Benefits:  Intrade is a true converter of trash into cash - no hidden strings or conditions.  End users of cartridges have a home for their empties, and may even make a dollar or two in the process.  Local remanufacturers have a convenient local source for recyclable cores (empties).  Hawaii's economy directly benefits from revenues generated by Intrade from export sales of empties.

Challenges:  Getting the word out is Intrade's biggest challenge.  Intrade has the capacity to handle virtually all of Hawaii's empty ink jet and laser toner cartridges, so is constantly seeking new sources of those items.  Operationally, Intrade faces the same, common problem encountered by all Hawaii exporters - shipping costs significantly reduce the degree to which we can compete with mainland companies, and directly impact what we pay for the empties.

Extra:  Visit Intrade's web site at http://www.intradecorporation.com/ for current buy-back pricing and background on the company.

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Hawaii Convention Center

Policy/Commitment:  To unite as a team using the power of our 'ohana at the Hawaii Convention Center to do our part in recycling in order to preserve our beautiful State of Hawaii, for our guests and community to enjoy.  In doing so, we intend to be a good corporate citizen and lead our clients as well as our competition by example, respecting our environment.                              

Scope:  Products recycled- Aluminum, Glass, Plastic, Paper, Cardboard, Wood Pallets, Green Waste, Food Production Waste, Food Surplus.

Methods:

 - Aluminum is collected from the Food & Beverage Division at the areas where it is originally used (i.e. kitchen, bars, prep areas) and transported to the recycle storage containers at the loading dock to be held for future cartage. It is also brought from administrative and exhibition areas and stored in the same manner.

 - Glass is collected and stored in the same manner as above.

 - Plastic is collected and stored in the same manner as above.

 - Paper is collected from specially labeled collection baskets throughout the facility located in strategic areas such as by copy and fax machines, administrative areas, client offices and exhibition booths. It is transported to a collection area located at the loading dock. 

 - Cardboard is collected by our janitorial staff at a holding area located by the HCC dumpster and on the exhibition hall floor from exhibitors unpacking their displays and brochures for an event. It is broken down to a flat status and put into the HCC bailer where it is baled into pallet loads that will be picked up by the recycler and carted off for sale.

 - Wood Pallets that come in with HCC freight and exhibitor freight are collected and held for pick-up by a pallet company that will resell them as used pallets.

 - Green Waste is collected and held by the HCC landscape company until they have a full pick-up truck load to transport to their compost area off site.

 - Food Production waste are collected from the HCC kitchen and held refrigerated until it can be picked up by a recycler who collects it for farm animal feed.

 - Food Surplus is donated to various social service agencies for distribution to shelters and various charity organizations. 

Products:  When possible the HCC always opt's to use recycled products for it's production and presentation to it's clients. Some examples are lunch boxes, napkins, ink pens, writing pads, janitorial paper products.

Client:  Whenever possible HCC likes to work with it's clients to encourage their participation in it's recycling program and to support any similar program a client may have.

Started:  October 1997

Benefits:  The Hawaii Convention Center is very proud to be a part of a very limited amount of Convention Centers that recycles voluntarily and in doing so, has experienced great public relations with clients and the community.

Challenges:  The Hawaii Convention Center stands a big challenge in terms of size.  Due to the amount of space the Center occupies, it can be difficult to be sure everything that can be recycled, is being sorted properly as such.

We are also challenged by encouraging our clients to recycle their waste.  We can encourage and suggest but it truly is at their discretion to exercise their recycling abilities.

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© 2005 City & County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services.