Honolulu Cancels Curbside Collection Program

Honolulu’s Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced that the city is canceling its plans for a new curbside recycling program. A problem with the bidding process was cited as a reason for the city to cancel the program.

According to the city, three bids were submitted this past May, but one of the bidders complained about the low bid. Additionally, there were questions over whether the bidders had all the required state pollution control permits.

“The legal challenges over the contract would have delayed implementation for many months. Meanwhile, much has changed since the prior administration committed the city to curbside recycling. The advent of the state beverage container deposit law over the past year and rising fuel prices present new challenges to curbside recycling,” Mayor Hannemann says.

In lieu of a curbside program, the city announced the following states it would take to meet its recycling and recovery goals. These include the following:

Deploy more recycling bins at Oahu schools;

Distribute more 96-gallon recycling bins to the schools;

Help the state establish more H15 redemption sites; and

Hold a comprehensive recycling fair.