FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      July 12, 2005

Release M-48

MAYOR DEMONSTRATES RECYCLING MACHINES

Mayor Mufi Hannemann today (Tuesday,  July 12, 2005) demonstrated a pioneering recycling project  that offers immediate automated cash refunds for bottles and cans at the Honolulu Municipal Building, 650 South King Street.

The project, using “reverse vending machines,” or RVMs, began service yesterday, as a pilot project of the City and  Reynolds Recycling, the first partnership of its kind in Hawaii. This is the first site in Hawaii where RVMs are teamed up with an “instadeem” machine that pays deposit refunds on the spot.

“We are pleased to participate in this project. This technology is in use in only a few places nationwide, so Honolulu and Reynolds Recycling are at the leading edge of recycling,” said the mayor.

“My administration is exploring recycling on many fronts as an essential way to divert some of the tons of refuse that go into our limited landfills each day. It’s all about education, education, education.

“If we could recycle 80 percent of all cans and bottles, that would reduce the solid waste going into our landfills by 50,000 tons a year,” said the mayor. “These machines are a snap to use. They will make it easier for the public as well as the thousands of City workers at the Civic Center to turn in their bottles and cans for cash and further our recycling efforts.”

Three “reverse vending machines,” or RVMs, have been installed at the municipal building’s makai entrance.  Each machine is designated for one type of container: aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles. You insert your empty containers into the appropriate machine, and when you’re done, press a button. The machine prints out a receipt, which you take to a fourth machine, called an “instadeem” machine. It reads the receipt and dispenses your deposit return, five cents per container.

The recycling machines will be open for business from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, except holidays.

Bruce Iverson, market development manager for Reynolds Recycling, said this is only the ninth “instadeem” machine in service in America, and the first outside New York.

 Suzanne Jones, the City’s recycling coordinator, said the pilot project is scheduled to run indefinitely. If the City expands the program, a contract would be put out for bid.

-30-

Contact:

            Mark Matsunaga, 352-1528

Bill Brennan, 228-1526