LIHU’E — Garden Isle Disposal, which earlier this month inked a new three-year contract with the County of Kaua’i to run the Kaua’i Recycles program, is accepting mixed paper (catalogs, magazines, cereal boxes, glossy advertisements, etc.) for recycling at its
LIHU’E — Garden Isle Disposal, which earlier this month inked a new three-year
contract with the County of Kaua’i to run the Kaua’i Recycles program, is
accepting mixed paper (catalogs, magazines, cereal boxes, glossy
advertisements, etc.) for recycling at its facility on Niumalu Road, near
Lihu’e.
Collection of mixed paper, also called “junk mail,” at county
recycle sites was dropped from the current recycling contract by mutual
agreement of the county and company, said Cathy Shibuya, Garden Isle Disposal
president.
But if residents are willing to bring the materials to the
company’s Niumalu facility, they will be accepted.
One of the main reasons
the decision was made to delete the mixed-paper component from the Kaua’i
Recycles program was because it was highly contaminated with regular household
trash and other non-recyclable items, she said.
Since the county is short
on funds and Garden Isle Disposal was the only bidder on the recycling
contract, the county was able to negotiate a lower monthly cost, Shibuya
said.
To do that, the disposal company and the county agreed to discontinue
processing mixed paper at the six Kaua’i Recycles sites from Waimea to
Princeville. The public education component of the contract was also downsized
to reduce the cost of the contract.
It is possible that the affected
programs will be reinstated if funding is approved in the county’s 2000-2001
budget.
The recycling locations at Hanalei Transfer Station; Kojima Store
parking lot on Kuhio Highway in Kapa’a; by Taco Bell at Kukui Grove Commercial
Village; behind Sueoka Store in Koloa; at ‘Ele’ele Shopping Center; and near
the old dairy site in Waimea; still accept newspaper, aluminum, glass and
cardboard. Plastic, however, is not accepted.
No. 2 plastic is collected
quarterly by Kaua’i Plastics. Watch for announcements from Kaua’i Plastics
about dates, times and drop-off locations for recycling of No. 2
plastics.
The previous Kaua’i Recycles contract between the county and
Garden Isle Disposal expired Dec. 15. The new contract went into effect the
next day.
As far as recycling education is concerned, Garden Isle Disposal
will continue offering tours of its facilities here, and airing of radio and TV
commercials.
The company also prepares recycling handouts for interested
groups and individuals, and will participate in environmental fairs and other
gatherings.
The company accepts white office paper free of charge at its
facility. The county office white-paper recycling program continues under the
new contract, Shibuya added.
