LATEST TASK FORCE COMES TO THE SAME CONCLUSIONS AS ITS PREDECESSORS

Bad planning and lack of initiative on the part of government and community leaders resulted in a recent decision to allow Oahu's one and only landfill to increase in height by 30 feet, a measure that gives Oahu just eight more months of landfill space. And then what? Add acreage to the landfill? Nearby residents and businesses are loudly opposed to that plan. Send more stuff to H-Power for incineration? Not all trash can be burned, not all trash should be burned, and no incineration method is completely 'clean.'

Maui will soon face a similar situation unless we address this topic now and make wise decisions that are both environmentally friendly, and economically feasible. Three task forces have studied this problem during the last 13 years. All three were made up of government leaders, business people, visitor industry representatives, waste industry people, and individual residents. All three came to the same conclusions:

1. Anything that can be recycled, composted, or reused on Maui must be recycled, composted, or reused on Maui, and not buried in the landfill.

2. Recycling must be rewarded; throwing stuff in the landfill must not. It's based on 'equitable user fees', and is called Pay-As-You-Throw.

3. The people of Maui must have the option of taking good, clean, usable material to a central facility where it can be off-loaded, sorted, and made available to nonprofit agencies, schools, and churches and the community at large.

4. A materials recovery facility (MRF) is essential for the efficient hauling, sorting, and distribution of recyclable materials.

Implementing these recommendations may involve several lifestyle adjustments for the individual:

- Universal trash pick-up: If you live on an existing County of Maui trash pick-up route, you will subscribe to the service instead of hauling and dumping your own trash.

- Curbside recycling pick-up available to all residents.

- Compliance with existing "Litter Laws." Illegal dumpers will be prosecuted.

- Use of recycled material in all government construction jobs where it is economically feasible.

- Restrictions on landfilling any material that can be recycled on-island, including greeenwaste, yard trimmings, food waste, paper, and cardboard - all of which can be composted - as well as certain plastic containers, glass, and aluminum.

As a community addressing these issues, we may also reasonably expect the following from our County government and environmental agencies:

- Comprehensive waste management plans for used electronics such as computer components, batteries, televisions, cell phones, and outdated video equipment.

- Comprehensive public education plan for schools, businesses and community groups emphasizing the successful recycling programs that already exist in Maui County, and uses of recycled material.

- Incentives for, and encouragement of entrepreneurs with a good idea and a workable business plan, whether it be commercial worm composting, insulation from waste paper, or the collection and shipping of toner cartridges.

None of these recommendations are new; all of them were developed and refined over decades in many communities on the Mainland, Europe, and Canada. We don't have to invent or re-invent anything. What we do need is good planning and initiative on the part of our elected representatives and our community. Oahu is providing us with a wonderful example of what happens when we ignore the inevitable and fail to seize opportunities to do the right thing, the right way.