INCREASE IN PLASTIC RECYCLING GOOD FOR KEALIA BOARDWALK

Thanks to the diligent efforts of many, more Maui plastic is making its way towards the Kealia Boardwalk.  Aloha Plastic Recycling has received nearly three times the Maui plastic this year that they had received by this time last year.  Aloha is the Maui Company that turns recycled HDPE (High Density Polyethylene, or #2) into plastic lumber and furniture.

The increase is due to the efforts of the County of Maui Recycling Section, Maui Disposal and concerned citizens. I am particularly impressed with the schoolteachers from Maui High School who collect milk jugs from their students and drive them to Aloha Plastic themselves.  The plastic Aloha will be using to manufacture the boardwalk includes all non-colored bottles and jugs with necks marked with a number 2.  This is the opaque kind of plastic found in gallon milk jugs.

There is probably enough recyclable HDPE on Maui with which to manufacture the lumber for the boardwalk, however getting it to the processor has been a problem in the past.  It will take about 1 ½ million gallon jugs to build the boardwalk, 21,900 of which have come from Maui recyclers so far this year.  I'm encouraged to see this increase and hope that it lowers the likelihood of having to import post-consumer HDPE from Oahu and the mainland.

To support this project, take your natural, opaque HDPE (#2) containers with necks to the county drop boxes or to Aloha Plastic Recycling at 75 Amala Place.  Don't forget to give them a rinse, throw away the lids and crush them.

Camille Armantrout

Makawao