BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Remodeling debris goes to landfill
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Q. I am new to the island and renovating my condo in Kailua and I'm having trouble disposing of construction debris such as glass and metal at Kapa'a Quarry. The people who work there said they won't take a lot of it; it has to be burnable. Could you tell me the policy?
A. John Lee of the city Department of Environmental Services explains that the Kapa'a Transfer Station in Kailua is mostly set up to handle typical household refuse brought in by residents, and to gather refuse collected by city crews on the Windward side. The trash is trucked to be burned at the H-POWER garbage-to-energy plant.
Lee said the transfer station has to limit what kind of waste it accepts. "Accepting anything and everything from householders taxes the capacity of the facility and greatly increases operating and hauling costs because wastes have to be separated and delivered to different recycling and disposal sites," Lee said.
If you are renovating your condo yourself, the debris should be taken to Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Nanakuli, Lee said, where that disposal would be free to you as a "householder" — someone who is not generating the waste as part of a business.
Lee said people can also dispose of trash at PVT Landfill in Nanakuli, the privately run construction and demolition landfill; it charges a "tipping fee" for disposal. He said residents also may want to take metal debris to a metals recycler.
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Q. What number do I call to report an abandoned vehicle on the street?
A. On O'ahu, you may call 733-2530 between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. That's the city Department of Motor Vehicles office that handles reports of abandoned vehicles.
The staff suggests that callers provide the specific location and description of the vehicle — color, make, model, etc., and a license number if you can. You may also send in the information by fax at all hours to 735-1014.
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Q. Why doesn't the Honolulu Police Department enforce the rules for freight loading zones in Waikiki? It's hard for delivery drivers to do their job with cars illegally parked in freight zones.
Police say that beat officers and parking enforcement officers do monitor the freight loading zones. Drivers who see a violation should call 911 to report it.
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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:
• Write to:
The Bureaucracy Buster
The Honolulu Advertiser
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
• E-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com
• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.
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