Hawaii's Christmas tree recycling season starts
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Even though Christmas is over, the live tree you bought for the holidays is still useful, at least when it comes to the environment.
Residents are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees so they can be processed into compost or mulch rather than taking up space in landfills.
Each county has a "treecycling" program for residents to properly discard their Christmas trees. An estimated 120,000 trees have been shipped to Hawai'i this year, according to the state Department of Agriculture.
Recycling Christmas trees is part of the city's green waste recycling program, said Ken Shimizu, deputy director of the city's Environmental Services Department.
"This is just another way that we can reuse the mulch at city parks and facilities and also give the mulch away," he said.
People may pick up free mulch at several sites around the island, including Hawaiian Earth Products and Ala Wai Community Garden. (For complete list of locations, visit http://envhonolulu.org or call 768-3200.)
Mayor Mufi Hannemann yesterday reminded O'ahu residents to recycle live Christmas trees. The 50-foot Christmas trees fronting Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale will be recycled into mulch after New Year's Day.
"We are running our green-cycling ads in the newspapers making it very clear that we want you to be very responsible in recycling your Christmas trees," Hannemann said.
Officials are also reminding residents that the state has discontinued the treecycling sites at parks and other locations around the island.
Trees must be free of flocking and decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and wire, before recycling.
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| WHERE TO RECYCLE CHRISTMAS TREES O'AHU Place trees at the curb for pickup on your regular twice-monthly green waste collection day. Cut the tree into lengths of up to 3 feet. Take trees to the city's Refuse and Recycling Convenience Centers at Geiger Road in 'Ewa; 56-020 Kamehameha Highway in La'ie; 71-129 Wilikina Drive in Wahiawa; off Plantation Road in Wai'anae; Hihimanu Street in Waimanalo; Waipahu Depot Road in Waipahu; and Kawailoa Road in Hale'iwa. The centers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. They will be closed New Year's Day. Drop off trees at Hawaiian Earth Products' composting sites at Campbell Industrial Park (7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday) or Kapa'a Quarry Road (open daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Condos and commercial buildings can deliver large loads of trees directly to composting facilities. There will be no tip fee charge over the holidays for Christmas trees. For more information, call the city recycling office at 768-3200 or visit www.opala.org. MAUI A treecycling day will be held Jan. 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Papa Avenue Soccer Field, Hannibal Tavares Community Center and Ha'iku Community Center. Drop off trees at Maui Earth Composting off Pi'ilani Highway (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday); Maui E.K.O. at the Central Landfill on Pulehu Road (6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday); Olowalu Recycling Center three miles south of Lahaina (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday); Hana Landfill (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday); BIG ISLAND Trees may be taken until Jan. 13 to transfer stations in Hilo, Honoka'a, Ka'auhuhu, Kea'au, Kealakehe, Keauhou, Pahoa, Puako, Waimea, Wai'ohinu. Trees will be made into free mulch. For more information, call 961-8270. KAUA'I Trees are accepted for recycling daily except holidays at Hanalei, Hanapepe, Kapa'a and Lihu'e refuse transfer stations from 7:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., or to the Kekaha Landfill from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trees may also be dropped off daily outside the main entrance to Kaua'i Nursery and Landscaping on Kaumuali'i Highway in Puhi. For more information, call the county recycling office at 241-6891 or visit www.kauai.gov. MOLOKA'I Drop off trees at Moloka'i Na'iwa Landfill (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). LANA'I Drop off trees Jan. 7-9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the old baseyard west of the HI-5¢ Redemption Center. Do not take trees to drop-box recycling sites. |
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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