How to Recycle in Kohala

There are now many, many options for ensuring much of what you are clearing out with Spring Cleaning will find a place to be reused.  As Marie Kondo says, get rid of excess that no longer brings you joy.  With recent changes to county recycling, many of us are not quite sure how to use the local recycling resources most effectively.  Here are some guidelines important to keep our island home cleaner:

1, Look for ways to avoid buying things that create trash:

  • Shop farmers markets, consignment, second hand stores, Kohala Buy, Sell Trade and Craigslist where packaging is minimal or non-existent and prices are favorable.
  • Bring your own bags, utensils or reusable containers when shopping or even getting take-out.
  • Read newspapers and magazines online.  If you purchase or print them, recycle as appropriate through friends or libraries and shred when done.  Newest crosscut shredders make paper into confetti.
  • Receive and pay bills online.  If you print or receive them as paper shred whatever is not necessary to file and again mix into compost.  Note: any metallic papers or inks are not earth friendly.
  • Take the pledge not to drink water bottled in plastic.  Use reusable containers for teas and water from home to reduce waste that usually ends up in the ocean.
  • Try homemade teas instead of soft drinks and keep yours in glass jars – better health and more money in your wallet are other side benefits.

2. Separate things from your trash that can be composted and recycled.

  • Use composted food scraps and paper shreds for use as a wonderful garden mulch.
  • Recycle all Hi-5, corrugated cardboard, glass, appliances & metal at County facilities.
  • Rinse food and pet food cans and recycle in the County transfer station metal recycling bins.
  • Search the Recyclehawaii.org website to see where to recycle over 60 items not recycled at our County facilities.
  • Look up the county website www.hawaiizerowaste.org for business and more household item recycling options.

3. Maximize the use of our County Transfer Stations. Residents can bring household trash and sorted clean glass, corrugated cardboard and metal to these three County facilities seven days a week 6am-6pm:

  • Hawi at 55-3595 Ka’auhuhu Homestead Road
  • Kamuela/Waimea at 66-1597 Kawaihae Road
  • Puako at 66-1471 Puako Beah Drive

4. Remember these special dates:

  • March 1, 2020  Green waste changes and volume limits go into effect.
  • March 7, 2020  Hazardous waste collected at Waimea Transfer Station 8:30am-3:30pm
  • Second Saturday each month:  Electronic waste collected at Waimea Transfer Station

5. Green Waste Changes and Volume Limits

Effective March 1, 2020 residents are asked to no longer mix green waste with household waste.  Small amounts are okay but full truckloads will only be accepted

on Sundays at the Hawi Transfer station.

The regular trash chute at the Hawi Transfer Station will not be available for household trash Sundays.

Also starting March 1, 2020 residential daily trash drop-offs at the transfer stations will be limited to three cubic yards daily (about one full pick-up truckload).  White goods (household appliances) will be limited to one daily.

6. Plastics are no longer accepted for recycling at the County Transfer Stations.

There are efforts underway to support the new Precious Plastics efforts in Puna.  More on that in another story.