In three years of existence, Aloha 'Aina Earth Day recycling drives have collected hundreds of tons of scrap metal and dozens of containers of old tires, green waste and beverage containers that would otherwise have ended up in the city's landfill or along O'ahu's roadsides.

The drives have the added benefit of generating money for the nonprofit groups that participate.

At last month's collection in Kahalu'u, the nonprofit KEY Project that helped organize the drive reaped 80 tons of scrap metal, filling 12 bins. For their efforts, they collected $4,800 for the metal alone.

Today, Hale'iwa will have its turn and the Waialua Community Association will host and benefit from the 30th Aloha 'Aina recycling and cleanup project.

With the city's Waimanalo Gulch landfill nearly at capacity and government seeking to extend its use, recycling efforts such as these projects keep tons of waste out of the site plus they have the added fundraising benefit, said Suzanne Jones, city recycling coordinator.

"The theme here is your old stuff can be still valuable," Jones said, adding that the collection reinforces good habits and Aloha 'Aina helps communities take an active part in caring for the environment.

"(The projects) elevate public awareness even further to the issues both of don't dump and recycle," Jones said. "(Aloha 'Aina) is looking at opportunities they can support for people to clean up their communities."

The collection drives have proved popular because they accept almost anything, and they'll even come to your house for pickup.

The amount of metal collected in Kahalu'u was three to four times that of similar projects, underscoring the need and validating the community's desire to improve and rid itself of trash.

"I came away energized from it because you get the feeling that the community really does care," said John Reppun, executive director of KEY Project, which provides social services and education opportunities to the Windward community. "The funding is great but ... the social capital side of it is a huge value for us."

More than 100 people volunteered that day, including Boy Scout Troop 117, the Kahaluu Lions Club, KEY Project staff, and crews from Iida Contracting, Board of Water Supply, Sutton Construction and the city, Reppun said.

Penske Truck Leasing & Rental offered a discount rate on trucks so crews were able to pick up material at people's homes from Kailua to Punalu'u.

The recycling companies donate their time, trucks and gasoline, and the city is always involved, hauling away unrecylables such as mattresses and other bulky items.

Bins were also placed in Waiahole and Waihe'e valleys for residents there to fill with scrap metal.

The recycling event was scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the last truckload of material didn't leave Kahalu'u until 8 that night.

Rene Mansho, coordinator for Aloha 'Aina, said the Kahalu'u cleanup was one of the more successful ones but there have been others that are equally as productive, including those at Leilehua and Moanalua High schools.

Some neighborhoods don't get anywhere near that amount and they are disappointed, but while one of the benefits is raising money, the ultimate goal is to rid an area of unwanted and unsightly trash, said Mansho, a former Honolulu City councilwoman.

The cleanups started in 2003 when Hawaii Metal Recycling (now Schnitzer Steel Hawaii Corp.) decided to clean up illegal dump sites as a service project to the community.

It participated in the first worldwide Earth Day project to clean up the environment in 2004 and decided to continue the effort on a monthly basis, Mansho said. The companies involved sometimes make money from the cleanups but sometimes they even lose money, she said.

But that is not what motivates them to come out each month.

"The primary effort is to do a community cleanup and to make sure we're recycling for the day," she emphasized.

Two new recyclers have joined the effort for the Hale'iwa cleanup: Pacific Biodiesel will collect cooking oil and SHREDEX Hawaii will be at the old gym from 8 a.m. until noon to shred people's sensitive documents for free.

Jon Marr, Waialua Community Association president and event coordinator, said the group was scrambling to organize the event after two other sponsors fell through. But with all the projects that the association has undertaken recently, the extra income will be a blessing.

"(The cleanup) is like a blessing in disguise," Marr said. "It was an answer to a prayer."

The group is replacing the gym roof, installing a new septic system and setting up a micro-enterprise workshop. It operates the historic gym that serves as a community center for meetings, church services, youth programs, various classes and violin lessons.

Marr had his work cut out for him, including clearing the collection site of derelict and illegally parked vehicles, organizing pickups and rallying volunteers. He said he is ready for the day and was short of volunteers, but he wasn't worried.

"The North Shore is funny," he said. "You don't get much of a commitment until the day it happens. Then they come out of the woodwork."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.