County: “Budget Constraints to Impact Solid Waste Services”

Trash pile, file photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

Budget constraints are expected to impact solid waste services in the new fiscal year, according to an announcement issued yesterday by the County of Maui Environmental Management division.

Starting Aug. 1, department officials say rural landfills in Hāna, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi will have new hours of service from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and will be closed on county holidays. The schedule reflects a one and a half hour reduction in service on the given days from the current schedule that runs from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Central Maui Landfill will have new hours from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and will be closed on county holidays. The schedule reflects a one hour reduction in service on the given days from the current schedule that runs from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Refuse collection will remain the same, however service will not longer be provided on county holidays, the announcement said.

Department officials say the reduced service is due to resource limitations outlined in the fiscal year 2015 budget. The council meets on Monday to consider eight vetoes outlined by the mayor including one relating to solid waste.

In Mayor Arakawa’s explanation of the item he said provisions in the budget place restrictions on expenditures within the Solid Waste Operations program “that may impede the department from addressing issues with the landfills that could result in the issuance of violations from the state Department of Health or other regulatory bodies.”

Maui Environmental Management director Kyle Ginoza commented in a county issued press release saying, “Non-regulatory activities, including landfill diversion and recycling, remain important. However, given the fiscal year 2015 budget and Council-imposed spending restrictions, we must focus our remaining resources on compliance, safety and meeting core needs.”