Honolulu is considering the option of shipping its waste off the island for a decade as an interim measure while plans for a new landfill are developed. This move comes in response to the increasing challenges of managing waste produced by nearly 1 million residents and hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors.
The city has initiated a request for information to gauge the feasibility of this plan with private companies. Roger Babcock, the director of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services, emphasized that this inquiry does not bind the city to any decisions.
The urgency of this situation stems from the reality that Honolulu will face limited capacity for waste disposal in the coming years. The only current municipal landfill is slated for closure in 2028, and the approximately 300,000 tons of waste that it processes annually will require alternative management moving forward.
While officials haven’t pinpointed a precise location for a new landfill, they acknowledge that even if they meet their self-imposed deadline for the site by the end of the year, the permitting and construction processes involved in establishing a new landfill will take significant time.
As a result, city officials are revisiting the concept of exporting waste, a strategy that was previously deemed too complex. Babcock mentioned that circumstances may have evolved over the last decade that could facilitate this undertaking.
Historically, similar strategies have been put into practice on a smaller scale in Honolulu. For instance, local hospitals and other establishments that produce hazardous waste must send it to the mainland, as Oahu lacks a dedicated hazardous waste disposal system.
In 2010, a three-year agreement was established with Hawaiian Waste Systems for the transport of trash to Washington state, mainly to expand the capacity of the H-Power waste-to-energy facility. However, this plan was halted due to legal challenges regarding environmental assessments and tribal agreements, leading to a significant backlog of garbage. The city eventually had to cancel that contract.
Babcock pointed out that lessons were learned from past experiences, highlighting potential challenges that could arise during transportation and processing. He underscored that while shipping could serve as a temporary solution, the city is seeking diverse methods of waste management.
As the closing date for the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill approaches, the urgency to find a new landfill site increases. Plans to announce a new location were initially scheduled for late 2022 but have faced multiple delays due to community opposition and discussions about utilizing military land.
One proposition under consideration involves revising a 2020 state law that currently restricts landfill sites from being located within conservation districts or near sensitive areas like schools and hospitals. However, such political maneuvers may be challenging to navigate given public apprehension about potential health risks associated with living near a landfill.
According to city officials, the process of establishing a new landfill can take up to eight years, making it highly unlikely that a new site will be ready when the existing landfill closes. Thus, shipping municipal solid waste to another location could serve as a temporary solution.
The request for information, dated October 7 and set to close on November 30, outlines a potential ten-year shipping duration for municipal solid waste, as well as ash from the H-Power facility. Babcock has expressed confidence that the city will meet its year-end deadline for a new landfill site and will provide updates to the City Council during an upcoming committee meeting.
“The progress is significant, and we are putting considerable effort into resolving this issue,” Babcock said, seeking to reassure the community about handling the forthcoming waste management challenges.