City's recycling office offers tips on starting program in your condo
• Condo recycling programs lag behind rest of country
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer
Do you want to start a recycling program in your apartment building or condominium?
According to the City and County of Honolulu Recycling Office, start off by selecting what to recycle. Recommended as a first step are the high-value materials, aluminum and glass. Add newspapers later after gaining experience in handling recyclables. Consider yard trimmings, especially if your complex generates a significant amount.
Set up a central collection area where residents can bring their recyclables. Some buildings use their parking garages, while others put containers on each floor by trash chutes.
There are several options for collection. Recycled material can be picked up by a refuse hauler, collector or recycling company. You can also do it yourself.
Trash haulers offer recycling services and container options. A hauler may charge for hauling recyclables and then credit you for the value of the material. If a hauler also provides refuse hauling for your complex, recyclables might be collected separately at no charge. Ask your current hauler what type of recycling services and containers it offers, and check the phone directory for other haulers.
Collectors or recycling companies often are willing to pick up your high-value recyclables for free, and some offer recycling containers.
If you do it yourself using condo staff or volunteer residents, take your recyclables to a recycling company or to the nearest community recycling drop-off bin. Recycling companies will pay the current market value for your materials. On O'ahu, money earned from the sale of recyclables left at community recycling bins goes to support schools and education.
For green waste, have your landscape contractor take your yard trimmings to a composter and leave grass clippings on the lawn. Buy a chipper and use the mulch to limit weed growth around plants and hedges and reduce irrigation.
For more information, check out the Honolulu Recycling Office's condo and apartment recycling Web site at www.opala.org/recycling_at_home/condo_recycling.html.
Contact Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
