By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q: There are seven families who live on my hill. Four of our rubbish cans are missing out of the original seven. I have called the numbers given on the original paper we got with the cans. No one answers. Can you tell me whom I should call to see if we can get the cans replaced?

A: The city refuse division says you should call the police and report the missing bins as stolen, then call your neighborhood refuse collection service with your police report number and ask for another bin. The refuse collection numbers are listed at www.opala.org. City officials require a police report to confirm that the bin is indeed missing and to prevent people from having extra bins.

If you still get no action, call the refuse division at 692-5358.

Q: I am seeking the following: locations of all recycling bins on O'ahu; exact policy on acceptable items; exact policy of placement of items in bins; what happens to the items once they are picked up from the bins.

A: City recycling coordinator Suzanne Jones said there are more than 85 community recycling bins at schools and shopping centers around O'ahu. The bins are divided into two sections: paper and mixed containers. The paper section is for newspaper, flattened cardboard, white and colored paper. The white and colored paper must be sealed separately in a bag or a box. The mixed container section is for aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic beverage containers.

Jones said full bins are trucked to a recycling facility, where the collected materials are run down a conveyor belt and sorted.

Plastic, aluminum and paper is compacted and baled for shipment to recycling markets in Asia or on the Mainland, and glass is crushed for use in glasphalt and other construction uses locally.

For recycling bin locations and more information, log on to www.opala.org or call 692-5410.

For recycling information on Kaua'i, call 241-6891; Maui, 270-7880; Moloka'i and Lana'i, (888) 991-4000; East Hawai'i, 961-2676 and West Hawai'i, 329-2886.

Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number.