Video from Hawaii County | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

HILO, Hawaii – With the required closure of the Hilo landfill looming, Hawaii County has officially started to move forward with its next plan for solid waste.

Kenoi

“We have basically 3 options. And it’s trucking to Pu’uanahulu, which nobody wants. It’s expanding the Hilo landfill, which is cost prohibitive and extremely challenging in securing permits. And its a waste reduction technology as the third option.”

That third option was the subject of Mayor Billy Kenoi’s February 4th presentation to the Hawaii County Council Environmental Management Committee.

Kenoi

“If we can take our waste that is currently being land filled and currently costing us over $125 a ton to manage, if we can turn that into a commodity and use it as a source of fuel and energy, now we’re reducing our dependence on fossil fuel, reduce the importation of fossil fuels; we’re creating more energy sustainability at home. Hopefully ultimately we take something that was a burden and turn it into a benefit with the current technology in place in 2014 it would be more environmentally friendly and sound.”

The Big Island has been through this before. In 2008, the council voted to reject a $125 million Wheelabrator waste-to-energy project, leaving the county with no plan for dealing with East Hawaii’s trash. The council will have final say in the current plan, as well.

The Kenoi administration has already issued the first phase request for proposals.

Kenoi

“What we don’t want is, and I will not support or even remotely consider, is a demonstration project that is unproven. Bottom line is what do we want? We want to explore all technologies… But people have to prove to all of you (the council) who will make the ultimate decision in terms of resolution or a contract approval is we want to see that you’ve operated, your proposed technology for a period of 3 years. In the last contract was 2 years. We want to see that you’ve operated and not in some foreign country that doesn’t have strict environmental compliance. Right? We want to see that you have an EPA adherence to strict environmental compliance. We will not be a demonstration project. This beautiful, special island that all of us privileged to call home, will not serve as a guinea pigs for any project, any proposal.”

We will be covering various aspects of this proposal over the course of the next few weeks.

The official media release from the office of the mayor announcing the RFP release:

Mayor Billy Kenoi officially launched the drive to develop a clean, modern and efficient waste reduction technology for the County of Hawai‘i with the release of Stage 1 of the county’s request for proposals (RFP) on March 3.

The RFP process will allow the county to select a proven, economically viable and environmentally friendly process for managing solid waste from East Hawai‘i for at least the next 20 to 30 years, Mayor Kenoi said.

“For the past two decades this county engaged in study after study to determine the best way to cope with the required closure of the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill,” Mayor Kenoi said. “It is now time to act. We are inviting the best and brightest in the industry to submit their proposals for a state-of-the-art facility that will benefit our community, and allow us to transform our solid waste from a liability into an asset.”

The county will continue its commitment to recycling, including a program to provide mulch made from green waste for agricultural and other uses. In 2013 the county recycled more than 217 tons of materials per day, including metals, glass, plastics and green waste. The waste reduction project will not affect those efforts, Mayor Kenoi said.

The design-build-operate RFP calls for a facility that can accommodate about 300 tons of solid waste per day. The facility will be built near the existing county Sort Station, and will be privately financed. Stage 1 of the RFP will identify the most qualified teams and technologies for the project.

Mayor Kenoi briefed the Hawaii County Council Committee on Environmental Management on the county plan on Feb. 4, and briefed the county Environmental Management Commission on the project and process on Feb. 26.

Communications from potential vendors regarding the project must be directed to county Purchasing Agent Jeffrey Dansdill at jdansdill@hawaiicounty.gov. Responses to Stage 1 of the RFP are due on April 15.Hawaii County media release – March 4, 2014