Posted on: Tuesday, September 24, 2002

EDITORIAL
Help wanted to reduce Mount Trash

The city just bought itself another eight months worth of garbage-disposal space. State health officials approved an application to raise the Waimanalo Gulch trash summit another 30 feet.

That doesn't leave a whole lot of time to get cracking on a long-term waste solution. The landfill is expected to run out of space next spring, and we're oh so weary of temporary trash fixes.

So we suggest the city get moving on a request for proposals from companies offering waste-to-energy programs and other technologies. We need to know what's available, how much garbage it can handle and how much it costs.

Once the city has amassed a number of bids and chosen a handful of finalists, we should all be able to see what they're offering, perhaps on the city's Web site.

That said, we're pleased to hear that Tim Steinberger, director of the Department of Environmental Services, has outlined a multifaceted plan that includes putting out a request for proposals.

Steinberger says the city intends to close the Waimanalo Gulch landfill in five years. In the meantime, he says, the city will complete a feasibility study on plasma arc technology, expand the H-Power plant, acquire land next to the plant for separating mixed waste and increase recycling.

That seems to cover most of the bases. We just hope the plan doesn't evaporate amid another power struggle between the administration and the City Council.