With the help of Oahu residents, the city’s Department of Environmental Services aims to further reduce reliance on the landfill through its G.R.O.W. — Green Recycling Organic Waste — pilot program launching on April 1.
The G.R.O.W. pilot program will initially launch in six neighborhoods — Hawaii Kai, Kailua, Nanakuli, Waipahu, Kalihi and Mililani. Free workshops open to the public will be held in February and March in these neighborhoods to prepare residents by explaining why food-waste recycling matters, what materials can be included in your green bin, and how to minimize odors while helping divert food waste from the landfill.
According to the department, food waste currently accounts for roughly 20% of Oahu’s total trash, amounting to approximately 160,000 tons of waste each year going to H-POWER and the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill. Placing food scraps in the green cart together with yard waste will help reduce landfill use and support composting, a valuable resource…