Ask the Mayor: Do Our Recyclables End Up in the Dump?

Recycling. Maui Now image.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his staff.

Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column. Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.

Hi Mayor Arakawa,

Q: I have heard from different people that all the recycling collected from the various recycling centers goes directly to the dump. This is disheartening if it is true. What a waste of time and energy! Please say it ain’t so!

A: That statement is not true. The majority of the materials collected at Maui County recycling centers are recycled. The county does not control the material that comes into our facilities, however, which means that about 12% of the materials that are received are contaminated. These contaminated materials cannot be recycled and are discovered at the contractor’s facility when workers are going through the collected material.