Off the News: Keeping ash out of landfill

The city’s H-POWER (Honolulu Program Of Waste Energy Recovery), takes most of our non-hazardous municipal solid waste collection — otherwise destined for landfill — and burns it to create steam for electricity generation. However, the waste-to-energy facility still sends some 180,000 tons of toxic ash to a landfill each year — currently, the Waimanalo Gulch landfill in Kapolei.

In a welcome gain for Honolulu’s ongoing renewable energy efforts, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced last week that a city contract is in the works to do away with this disposal. Instead ash would be treated and cleaned, and could potentially be used as construction material.

Waiting for rail to replace parking

Bill 2, aimed at easing parking requirements in new developments, is now city law. However, it’s unclear whether it will actually encourage more multimodal transit over personal cars.

It’s a weakened bill, for starters, one that allows but does not mandate developers to scale back parking.

Further, the long-awaited rail project is still months away from even a partial opening, so alternatives to driving are few. Let’s see which arrives first, the train or the buildings that need rail to be there.