MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY NEEDED FOR RECYCLING

The Maui News Feb. 8 editorial, “Recycler can’t rely on Maui,” hit the nail right on the head. As was determined by the Recycling Task Force commissioned by the mayor’s office in January 2002, a material recovery facility (infrastructure) must be built for real progress to be made in recycling.

That is not to say that there haven’t been success stories in Maui’s recycling history. There have been several; Aloha Shares Network is one example. However, for a business to produce a product from recovered materials, the basic ingredients have to be readily available. A material recovery facility (MRF) can facilitate that supply. For the best possible market prices on commodities that cannot be utilized on island, good sorting is necessary — such as a material recovery facility can accomplish.

A MRF is an economic enhancement for enterprises that use recycled materials (urban ore) as well as creating revenue from commodities that are shipped off island. To read the report of the Recycling Task Force, go on the Internet to www.geocities.com/recyclingtaskforce2002maui and read the findings of this group. If you agree, call your council members and mayor and let them know you feel that it is important that a material recovery facility be built to handle Maui’s current and future needs in recycling. Budget decisions will be finalized very soon.

Let’s work on this and make it happen for Maui this year.

Lee Guthrie