July 1999

There is a small but growing group of local entrepreneurs who have ventured into new businesses that remanufacture your trash into profitable products. Your yard waste is turned into mulch and compost, bottles and jars into crushed glass garden sculptures and glasphalt pavement, old tires into playground and landscaping products and milk jugs into recycled plastic lumber.

Much of the recyclable materials we collect on Oahu are still shipped to markets on the mainland or in Asia, and we will continue to move material in those directions as recycling in Hawaii expands. But there we have no control over pricing or demand for our materials. When market prices take a down-turn, it can negatively impact the economics of our recycling programs. ”Closing the loop“ here in Hawaii can have a stabilizing effect on local recycling programs and benefit our economy with the creation of new businesses and jobs. 

Continued success in recycling will require the kind of creative thinking and business management skills demonstrated by the companies profiled in this month’s issue of Waste Line. Many new product ideas are developing right here in Hawaii. My thanks to these members of the Partnership for the Environment for 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.






RE-MADE IN HAWAII
Recyclable materials recovered in local collection programs are remanufactured into new products by companies in Asia, mainland USA and these right here in Hawaii.

Aloha Glass Recycling, Inc., recycles waste glass into a variety of products, including water filter media, sandblast grit, decorative landscape aggregate, and an aggregate for ”glasphalt.” 590 Lipoa Parkway, Kihei 96753 (808) 875-2520 

Island Recycling recycles glass containers into “Glas-sand” for aquariums, decorative landscape aggregate, water filter media, ashtray filler and sandblast grit. Available in bags. 1811 Dillingham Blvd., Honolulu 96819 (808) 845-1188 

JC Sandblast & Recycle Glass Service transforms glass containers into art objects with a tropical motif etched or painted onto the surface. 3351 Elima St., Lihue 96766 (808) 245-2600 

Peak Creations handcrafts recycled glass tiles, paperweights and decorative objects. P.O. Box 6239, Kamuela 96743 (808) 885-7812 artglass@gte.net 

Recycling Systems Hawaii, Inc., creates crushed glass garden sculptures and decorative objects called ”Hawaiian Cracked Glass“ products. A sampling of their product line is in the Zootique at the Honolulu Zoo. 485 Railroad Ave., Hilo 96720 (808) 959-1712 

Hawaiian Earth Products, Ltd., recycles yard trimmings into soil conditioners, compost and soil blends. The company’s bagged compost and soil conditioners, known as the ”Menehune Magic“product line, are available at local garden shops. P.O. Box 1166, Ewa Beach 96707 (808) 682-5895 

Kalaheo Green Waste Recycling Facility recycles yard trimmings. Mulch and compost are sold in bulk to the general public. P.O. Box 26176, Honolulu 96825 (808) 261-9400

Maui EKO Systems, Inc., produces compost utilizing yard trimmings, untreated wood, pallets and biosolids. The majority of EKO Compost is sold in bulk to resorts and golf courses. The nutrient-rich EKO products are sold, bagged, in garden centers under the “EKO Premium Compost” and “EKO Tropical Blend” labels. P.O. Box 1065, Puunene 96784 (808) 572-8844 

Aloha Plastic Recycling, Inc., manufactures recycled plastic dimensional lumber, picnic tables, park benches, mail box posts, trash receptacles, car stops and speed bumps. P.O. Box 1429, Puunene 96784 (800) 865-2884 (808) 877-0822 info@aloharecycling.com

Intech, Inc., dba Confidential Records Destruction, makes the “Oil Change Box” to safely dispose of and recycle used oil. These boxes, made with post-consumer waste paper, are available at retail stores. Two new products, hydro-mulch and cellulose insulation, are now on line. 922-C Austin Lane, Honolulu 96817 (808) 848-7776

Unitek markets shredded and crumbed old tires for fuel and in products for playground safety surfacing, landscaping, colorized ground cover and horse arenas. The landscaping products provide a resilient surface, promote good root growth and help conserve water. 2889 Mokumoa St., Honolulu 96819 (808)831-3066 x203 and 366-4163



 2,700 milk jugs were used by Aloha Plastic Recycling to manufacture this recycled plastic 
picnic table in use at the Honolulu Zoo.

 


A young visitor to the Recycled Products Store lounges on a chair crafted from old cardboard boxes by artist Mark Alan Chai.

 


“Menehune Magic” compost and soil conditioner, manufactured by Hawaiian Earth Products, can be found in local garden shops. 

 


The Kalaheo Green Waste Recycling Facility sells high-quality compost in bulk on the Windward side of Oahu.

 


Crushed glass garden sculpture created by Recycling Systems Hawaii for the Honolulu Zoo.


VISIT THE HONOLULU ZOO 
for a SHOWCASE OF RECYCLED 
PRODUCTS
Come visit with the animals and check out the new recycling activities at the Zoo. They’ve been making good use of your recycled milk jugs, glass containers and yard trimmings collected from around the islands. 
• See your milk jugs re-manufactured into recycled plastic benches and picnic tables. New recycled plastic fencing replaces old wood in the Children’s Zoo. It will last longer, look better and no splinters for the keikis.
• Glass containers collected from community recycling programs have been crushed, mixed with asphalt to create glasphalt and used to pave the new Elephant Encounter Area. Take a close look at the two-foot high elephant sculptures—they’re made of recycled crushed glass, too.
• Manure from Zoo animals (herbivores only) is composted with yard waste to create a product called “zoo doo.” Mari and Vaigai, our elephants, are the biggest contributors to this recycling effort. The Zoo has plans to offer this valuable garden product to the public soon.

Call for a free RECYCLING AT WORK video. Hawaii’s leaders in recycling discuss how smart waste management strategies have benefited their businesses as well as our island home. You can use this 14-minute video to brief managers, educate and motivate employees and get tips and ideas for you business. Call the City’s Recycling Office at 527-5335.

JOIN US at the RECYCLED 
PRODUCTS STORE
Made in Hawaii Festival
August 20, 21, 22 
at the Blaisdell Center
Come see (and buy) recycled products, arts and crafts made locally by Hawaii businesses and artisans.