Starting next week, Hawaii County transfer stations will reduce functionality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county’s Department of Environmental Management announced Tuesday that collection of green waste, scrap metal and “white goods” will be discontinued at most county transfer stations as of Monday until at least April 30, when Gov. David Ige’s COVID-19 lockdown is scheduled to end.
Specifically, green waste collection is discontinued at transfer stations in Kealakehe, Ke‘ei, Pahoa, Keaau, Volcano and Waimea, leaving only the facilities in Hilo and Pu‘uanahulu.
Collection of scrap metal and white goods, or large appliances, is discontinued at all transfer stations that offer the service, including Hilo, Keaau, Pahoa, Volcano, Waiohinu, Pahala, Ke‘ei, Kealakehe, Puako, Waimea, Hawi, Honokaa and Laupahoehoe.
“We want to maintain our critical services, which is to allow residents the ability to get rid of their putrescibles — that food waste that starts to smell bad if you leave it too long,” said county Environmental Management Director Bill Kucharski. “We can’t allow a breakdown in that service.”
Kucharski added that the reduction of services also is to accommodate workers whose schedules have been disrupted by the closures of their children’s schools.
Kucharski said the majority of the department is still working — at least 90 workers are still on the job full-time, he estimated. However, in order to maintain the health and safety of county workers, the department has to pare down its services to only those considered essential.
“The Department of Environmental Management is invisible; we’re only noticed when we’re not there, and everyone has their own perception of what is essential,” Kucharski said. “But for now, we don’t think dealing with green waste or appliances is … essential.”
Green waste, Kucharski clarified, refers to nitrogen-rich agricultural waste, including grass clippings and leaves, that can be collected and converted to mulch.
While certain food waste — Kucharski offered as an example a 4-week-old watermelon rind — can be green waste, it can also be disposed of with regular waste.
For now, there are no changes to the county’s two-bin recycling program, Kucharski said. Nor has the county suspended any contracts with those who manage the state HI-5 beverage container redemption program at the transfer stations, although he said a contractor could decide to not staff a location at their discretion.
Kucharski said the discontinued services will resume “as soon as there’s some level of normalcy again,” although that normalcy might not return until after April 30 because the number of COVID-19 cases in the state continues to rise.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
