LIHUE — The Lihue Refuse Transfer Station located on Ahukini Road will be closed starting Wednesday.
On Monday, the County of Kauai hosted a blessing and groundbreaking for Phase 1 renovation work at the Lihue RTS for the project that starts on Wednesday.
The project is part of the island-wide Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project that targets refuse transfer stations in Hanalei, Kapaa, Lihue and Hanapepe. The budget for Phase 1 is marked at $15.9 million, according to a county neews release. The total cost for all four RTS is estimated at $38.2 million.
The overall goal is to improve the aging refuse transfer stations, address water quality standards and stormwater discharges.
“The most important aspect of this project is the people behind it — our solid waste workers, contractors, and our customers who use this refuse transfer station,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, whose comments overlapped the blessing by Kahu Lady Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira of Ke Akua Mana Church. “This project is an example of good government spending, showing our people that we are reinvesting their hardworking money into improving and upgrading their facilities.”
Kawakami made his remarks before an audience that included staff members from the Department of Public Works, Kauai County Council, the Office of the Mayor, and project contractor WW Clyde with RM Towill providing construction management services.
During the renovation work, the Lihue RTS will be closed from Sept. 11 to Nov. 2.
While the Lihue RTS is closed, all trash, green waste, tires, motor oil and propane tanks can be taken to the Kapaa RTS located at 5051 Kahi Road or the Hanapepe RTS located at 4380 Lele Road.
The county said large bulky items, such as furniture more than 3 feet long or mattresses must be taken to the Kekaha Landfill. Scrap metals, appliances and eWaste can be brought directly to the Puhi Metals Recycling Center on Puhi Road.
While the Lihue RTS is closed, the Kauai Resource Center, located adjacent to the refuse transfer station, will remain open to accept household batteries, fluorescent lights, packaging material, and to distribute backyard composting bins.
Reynolds Recycling will continue to operate the HI5 Redemption Center on Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is closed for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Next on the Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project list is the Kapa‘a Refuse Transfer Station, which is anticipated to be closed from November 2024 to July 2025. During this closure, all operations at the Kapaa RTS will be closed with the exception of green waste.
Updates will be provided for future closures of other impacted refuse transfer stations. For information, visit www.kauai.gov/recycling or call 808-241-4841.
