Hope of reviving recycling keeps blue bins at airport

Question: I work at Honolulu Airport. One day, while throwing away a few items, I made sure to place a few plastic HI-5 bottles into the blue recycling bins, throwing the rest into the adjacent trash bin. But a worker with the Visitor Information Program came up to me and said it did not matter if I sorted the trash — both the items in the blue bin and the trash bin all end up at the landfill. I asked a custodian, who confirmed that items in the blue bin are not recycled. Isn’t that a little deceiving? Many folks assume they are doing a good thing by separating their recyclables from the trash.

Answer: The blue recycling bins remain at the airport because the state Department of Transportation is hoping to restart the recycling program by the end of January.

Recycling of HI-5 containers was suspended in the summer of 2013 after several unsuccessful attempts to run it "cost-effectively," a DOT spokesman said.

It was supposed to be a temporary suspension.

However, collecting, emptying, sorting and redeeming the containers proved to be too labor-intensive, especially because 32 janitorial positions at the airport were eliminated in 2007.

Because of the staff shortage, as well as a lack of storage space, the recycling bins were left in place "with the intent to reinstate the program as soon as possible," the DOT spokesman said.

The state Legislature approved reinstating the 32 janitorial positions in 2013 and they have been refilled "slowly" over the past year, he said.

Because of that, the DOT planned to hire a recycling vendor.

However, although the Airports Division "remains committed to recycling and improving sustainability at our facilities," there’s still a chance that the recycling option may not last at the airport.

If the costs for hiring a contractor are too high, the recyclables may be donated to established nonprofit agencies, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, we asked the city Department of Environmental Services what happens to items tossed into the trash. It should make you happy to know that at least the metal recyclables are retrieved at the HPOWER plant.

"Almost all of our waste is currently going to ‘POWER, unless the boilers are down for scheduled preventive maintenance," said spokesman Markus Owens. "Magnets at HPOWER extract almost all of the metals and those that do make it to the boilers come out and are sold as scrap metal once they leave the combustion process."

According to the city’s opala.org website, "The facility’s preprocessing system uses magnets to pull metals from the waste stream and eddy current separators extract nonferrous metals from the ash, diverting approximately 18,000 tons of ferrous metals (tin cans) and 2,500 tons of nonferrous metals (aluminum cans) to recycling annually."

Going Green

Two "Going Green" events are scheduled for January: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 24 at Castle High School, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 31 at Waimanalo Beach Park.

Items accepted include computer equipment; one TV per car; cellphones, scrap metal and appliances; all kinds of batteries; used cooking oil; propane tanks; fire extinguishers; ink cartridges; and heat pumps.

Also, HI-5 beverage containers; used eyeglasses, hearing aids and white socks; prom dresses and women’s business suits/accessories; pet food, towels, blankets and toys; usable clothing and household items; incandescent light bulbs to swap for CFLs (four per car); and canned goods for Hawaii Foodbank.

For more information and towing of unwanted cars, call Rene Mansho at 291-6151 or email renemansho@hawaii.rr.com

Mahalo

To the lady who takes care of the minipark on Kuhio Avenue near Liliuokalani Street. She cleans up the area and takes care of the plants. This is much appreciated. — Donna/Waikiki senior

Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.