March 1999

The next directions in recycling are already focused on construction and demolition waste. We estimate that the construction industry may contribute as much as 500,000 tons annually to our island's total waste, including concrete, metals, wood, wall board, tile and roofing materials, all of which end up in our landfills. Local industry leaders have started to work together with government within the Partnership for the Environment network to address the recyclability of these materials. We're already seeing significant increases in concrete and metal recycling thanks to their efforts. Real success in recycling construction and demolition materials would have a huge impact on reducing Oahu's waste, but we all recognize that this mix of waste materials presents some of the toughest challenges in recycling. Continued success will depend upon the strength of the Partnership and the commitment, vision and ingenuity of its leaders. My thanks to all of you who are leading the way.—Mayor Jeremy Harris

About the Partnership
The Partnership for the Environment is a coalition of businesses coordinated by the City & County of Honolulu to support recycling, waste reduction and purchasing recycled-content products. The Partnership offers resources, guides, technical assistance, a speakers bureau and peer consulting and publicly recognizes businesses for their efforts. The Partnership‘s growing coalition of peer consultants is willing to share its expertise to assist other businesses in developing intelligent recycling programs. For more information and to become a partner, call the City‘s Recycling Office at 527-5335.


Island demo, Inc.
Leading Hawaii in the recycling of construction and demolition material


Mike Leary, President Island Demo, Inc.

Mike Leary, president and CEO of Island Demo Inc., doesn’t just believe in recycling, he lives and breathes it. One look at his Honolulu office reveals the depth of his commitment to the preservation of materials and the environment. Everything from file cabinet to ceiling fan and anything in between is either re-vamped or recycled. No matter where it’s been before. Leary will find a new use for it. In fact, that’s his chief goal in business. As an industry leader in the re-utilization of construction and demolition (C & D) materials, Leary strives hard to recycle at least 30 percent of the materials that flow through his downtown transfer station. That means that only 70 percent of the C & D material that Island Demo receives ends up at the landfill. Every day Leary looks for ways to bring that percentage down even more.

“There’s absolutely no reason at all for recoverable materials to end up in Oahu’s landfills,” declares Leary, a recently appointed board member on the City and County‘s Partnership for the Environment. “I’m merely searching for better ways to save the precious land of Hawaii.”

Island Demo is the only permitted transfer facility for the recycling of C & D goods in Honolulu, which lowers transportation costs for all the businesses who use it. The firm has the capability of analyzing and measuring C & D hazardous materials using state-of-the-art techniques such as Atomic Absorption Analysis and Polarized Light Microscopy. It is the only company in Hawaii with a full-service C & D laboratory. It will even remove interior demolition materials and segregrate and dispose of them properly. All disposal loads are inspected to ensure that no materials will corrupt landfill soils. Hazardous materials that may contaminate ground water tables are removed and dispossed of in accordance with EPA/RCRA regulations. Keenly focused on preservation of the environment, Island Demo, Inc. is raising the construction industry’s level of consciousness regarding the disposal of C & D materials.

Upcoming events:
RECYCLE ART `99—Call to Artists. The City's annual recycled art exhibition will open on Earth Day, April 22, in the Honolulu Hale Courtyard. A gala opening reception and Earth Day celebration, including awards, entertainment and refreshments, are scheduled for 3:30 that afternoon. The show will run through May 6. Professional and student artists are invited to contribute works of art to this juried art show. No entry fee. For more information and to request a prospectus, call the City's Recycling Office at 527-5335.