FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2003

MILILANI CURBSIDE RECYCLING PILOT TO START

           The Mililani curbside recycling pilot begins Monday, November 3.  The City & County of Honolulu’s four-month project will serve 10,000 homes in the Central O‘ahu community, and data will be collected to formulate a future islandwide program.

 “We anticipate a good response from the community,” said Mayor Jeremy Harris, “because our preliminary survey of Mililani residents yielded enthusiastic support.”  In the survey, conducted before the pilot project was announced, just short of 80 percent of those questioned said they would consider recycling if curbside pick-up were available.

 Already 3,700 homes have requested a second “green” cart from the City & County for their mixed recyclables and green waste.  That means they prefer two carts—their gray cart for regular trash, and the second green cart for the recyclables. Other households may prefer to use the same cart for all pickups.  Green cart distribution began today, but the majority of the carts will be delivered next week.

 Green carts can be requested at any time during the pilot project. Residents can mail the perforated post card that came with the instructional brochure delivered to every home a few weeks ago, or they can call 692-5410.

 Mililani residents may use their existing, gray, 96-gallon cart for all three, separate collections, or they may request a second, green, 96-gallon cart to be dedicated to green waste and mixed recyclables.

             The pilot project will test a curbside pickup program in which residents will be able to mix aluminum, plastic, glass and newspaper in one container.

             City crews, using the fully automated collection system already in place, will pick up recyclables every other week and green waste on the alternating week.  Regular trash pickup will continue two days a week.

Current Monday-Thursday Refuse Collection

Beginning Nov. 3             Monday:            Refuse

Tuesday:             Recyclables (green waste, recyclables alternating weeks) Thursday:             Refuse

Current Tuesday-Friday Refuse Collection

Beginning Nov. 3             Tuesday:             Refuse

Wednesday:             Recyclables (green waste, recyclables alternating weeks)

Friday:             Refuse

Current Wednesday-Saturday Refuse Collection

Beginning Nov. 3             Wednesday:             Refuse

Thursday:             Recyclables (green waste, recyclables alternating weeks) Saturday:             Refuse

First week, recycling collection will start with GREEN WASTE.

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