Ask the Mayor: Does Maui Have a Recycling Program for Green Waste?

Central Maui Landfill. File photo by Rod Antone.

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

Mr. Mayor,

Q: Would it be possible for the county to make a compost making site? Sort of like a recycling program for the green waste on Maui. I’ve noticed how Maui has the capability to thrive in making compost when I see truck loads of cut down trees and branches to dead leaves (aka green waste) hauled away to the landfill. I not only see it beneficial for people who do land maintenance with the green waste hauling but for people who do agriculture like home gardening to farming. It would save landfill space and gardeners/farmers on buying imported compost. Thank you for your time.

A: There actually already is a compost making site run by Maui EKO Systems, which has been operating out of the Central Maui Landfill since 1995. According to our Department of Environmental Management some 17,700 tons of green waste and unpainted pallets were processed so far for the 2018 fiscal year. However EKO officials said the total tonnage is probably closer to 30,000 tons because residential haulers don’t need to weigh their loads to the landfill. EKO management said that they produce a “Class A biosolids compost” for unrestricted use.

Want to ask the Mayor? Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, (808) 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.