All News Releases By Date

EPA-Funded Kea'au Recycling and Reuse Center to Open

Release Date: 3/25/2003
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, (808) 541-2711

     HONOLULU   The Hawai'i Island Economic Development Board and Recycle Hawai'i are announcing the grand opening of the Big Island's first solid waste recycling and reuse center on Saturday, March 29, 2003 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Activities at the Kea'au Recycling and Reuse Center will include entertainment, displays, composting demonstrations, recycling and reuse workshops and special children's activities.

     The center is funded by a $400,000 grant from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,  administered through the County of Hawai'i's Waste Management Department. The Hawai'i Island Economic Development Board serves as the project manager.          

     The center will be a way for residents to recycle and reuse items, reducing the amount of solid waste going into Big Island landfills. Recycle Hawai'i will operate the onsite educational center providing recycling information and weekly Saturday workshops on reuse activities over the nine month project period. "This is a major positive step to addressing and finding solutions to our solid waste management issues," said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim

     The  goals of the project are to; help transform the county's existing solid waste system into one that maximizes recovery of resources; stimulate on-island recycling; create jobs and income for island  residents; comply with the state's waste management goals; reduce the county's overall solid waste management costs; and provide a model for other community based recycling efforts.

     The center will recycle aluminum, office paper, magazines, plastics, cardboard, mixed paper, inkjet and toner cartridges, scrap metal, green waste, newspaper, crayons and glass. The Reuse Center will accept office equipment, consumer electronics, household appliances, furniture and non-vehicular garden tools.
 
     Recycle Hawai'i will provide public awareness and education programs to promote use of the new center. The Rural Community Assistant Corporation and Dale Burton, rural development specialist have been awarded the contract for strategic long term planning of Big Island recycling and reuse activities.