• Landfill-wise, we need a new, fresh start Landfill-wise, we need a new, fresh start On June 16, 2009, The Garden Island newspaper ran a front-page article entitled “Turning trash into energy – Lawa‘i man proposes solid waste solution.” I
• Landfill-wise, we need a new, fresh start
Landfill-wise, we need a new, fresh start
On June 16, 2009, The Garden Island newspaper ran a front-page article entitled “Turning trash into energy – Lawa‘i man proposes solid waste solution.” I thank The Garden Island for running that piece since the “Lawa‘i man” was the author of this letter.
The article expanded upon efforts to bring a new industry (jobs) to Kaua‘i to manufacture fuel pellets made from waste (including green waste) and crude oil made from carbon in plastics. (A process of turning all plastics categorized as 1-7, not just 1 and 2s, is up and running in Oregon and would have been installed in a new state of the art Municipal Recycling Facility which means plastic bags would not need to be outlawed.
In 2008 it was proposed that all garbage continue to be delivered to the new MRF at the Kekaha Landfill site, which eliminates an environmental impact study, saving millions of dollars. The new MRF facility at Kekaha would segregate waste materials for use in a number of products: cellulous (green) alternate fuel pellets to be used to eliminate the use of diesel fuel for electricity. By using locally manufactured fuel pellets homeowners would of course have to agree to have their monthly electric bills lowered drastically by cutting the “energy adjustment charge” from their bills that doubles most of KIUC’s monthly electric bill cost. An obvious “no problem” issue.
Kaua‘i’s plastics, 1 through 7s, would have been recycled preferably in Kekaha, a community that accepts the landfill site, and turned back into crude oil. This crude oil could then be shipped out to make more plastic bags (that’s called sustainability) or refined into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, bunker oil, etc and could be used to generate electricity at the co-op KIUC electrical facility at Port Allen. (That’s not sustainability) But then maybe there would be no more black smoke?
Other products to be manufactured would be numerous but would more than likely begin with building products such as hollow tile/cinder block type building blocks, retaining walls, pavers, etc. Research and development would expand those horizons.
With this program there would be a potential of a 10 percent +/- residual product which would need to be disposed of which could be done in several ways including disposal at a landfill. At a land fill that would last many years longer since only a 10 percent or less of Kaua‘i’s garbage and waste would end up in the dump.
The cost impact on our community, as the June 16, 2009 article states, would have cost the taxpayers of Kaua‘i “not one red cent”. What would be requested would have been a portion of the landfill tipping fee to pay for this investment. The County of Kaua‘i would continue receiving a large portion of these tipping fees.
How would this facility be paid for? By an investment group that offered to infuse $100,000,000 into this community project! $100 million “already set aside for the project” creating the possibility “for the island to become almost entirely self-sustainable in a few years…” and not having “to wait until 2025 or 2030 +, as others are planning.”
This author, the representative of the investment group, and a Kekaha resident met with the mayor, the head of the Dept. of Finance, the head of the Solid Waste Management Div., the mayor’s executive assistant, and KIUC’s president and engineering officer. There was no interest or follow up from the mayor’s office or any of the various government agencies heads. Only KIUC asked for a proposal and when it was time to present the proposal KIUC refused to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect both parties proprietary information, which is a standard, everyday practice in the industry and the business world.
If our elected officials and agency heads had any political will to improve the lives and futures of our citizens and moved toward this offer the new “state of the art MRF facility” would more than likely have been built and operating by the date of this writing. It could now be separating waste that would be destined for recyclable uses. There may have even been the possibility of developing plans for the future “mining” of our existing 80’ high mountain of waste and garbage. Kaua‘i could have possibly set the standards for the rest of the state and even become an “eco-destination” site for environmentally concerned travelers the World over. That of course could have meant more jobs and job security the travel industry parties.
To conclude, in regards to the specifics of the information provided, consider this possibility: The opportunity for “new beginnings” is at hand. Previously, where there may have been no political will, no foresight, no commitment to open mindedness, no concern for the citizens and their futures, it is time for new chapters of accomplishments to be written. It is time for collaborative effort where we make the choice to speak up, participate, and get involved in ways in which we express our concerns about our family’s futures, our children’s futures, and Kaua‘i’s future.
How? Those of you, who have the privilege of casting your ballot, exercise that right! This is the season to get involved and to act decisively to provide a new, fresh start. Let’s hold those who get elected accountable with regard to our landfill concerns.
John Hoff, Lawa‘i
