On Monday, the Hawaii County Council Committee on Finance approved a resolution allowing the administration to seek a new contract in order to look into new ways compost is handled on the Big Island.

Video courtesy County of Hawaii, edited by Big Island Video News

HILO – Hawaii County is taking a new approach to composting.

On Tuesday, Kona councilwoman Karen Eoff introduced a resolution to fund organic waste diversion and composting operations in both East and West Hawaii. The Department of Environmental Management plans to issue a new procurement to replace the current organic diversion contract ($1.8 million) when it expires on December 31, 2015. The new procurement will solicit costs for “providing treatment of the mulch for invasive species before being distributed to the public at the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility” in Hilo, in the hopes of preventing the spread of the dreaded little fire ant. The new procurement will also solicit the costs for “providing a compost demonstration project for a portion of the organic materials from the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility.”

The resolution was given a positive recommendation by the Finance Committee.

RESOLUTION NO. 125 15

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF FUNDS OF A LATER FISCAL YEAR AND OF A MULTI-FISCAL YEAR AGREEMENT FOR FURNISHING ORGANIC WASTE DIVERSION OPERATIONS IN WEST HAWAI‘I AND EAST HAWAI‘I FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

WHEREAS, the County 2009 Integrated Resources and Solid Waste Management Plan identified that 54% or 114,000 tons of the waste disposed at County landfills were organic materials that could be recycled, thereby preserving valuable landfill space; and

WHEREAS, the County established in 2013 organics diversion operation sites referred to as the West Hawai‘i Organics Facility adjacent to the West Hawai‘i Sanitary Landfill and the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility adjacent to the Hilo Sanitary Landfill where greenwaste and untreated wood pallets are processed into mulch; and

WHEREAS, the County has an existing organics diversion contract that will expire on December 31, 2015; and

WHEREAS, the County is developing a new procurement to replace the current contract for the operation of the West Hawai‘i Organics Facility and the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility; and

WHEREAS, the new contract will accept greenwaste generated from county recycling and transfer stations, landfills and other private entities. The types of organic material will include greenwaste and untreated wood pallets; and

WHEREAS, the new procurement will solicit the costs for providing treatment of the mulch for invasive species before being distributed to the public at the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility; and

WHEREAS, the new procurement will solicit the costs for providing a compost demonstration project for a portion of the organic materials from the East Hawai‘i Organics Facility. The demonstration project will provide the County with valuable data on the success of composting greenwaste, the market for selling compost, the revenue generated from sales and other information. This data will be used for future expansion of organics diversion to include other organic materials like paper, food and compostable plastics; and

WHEREAS, the high equipment and operations start-up costs, that are estimated between $500,000 to $1,000,000, justify a multi-year commitment to recoup costs and secure reasonable terms for equipment financing. A multi-year commitment also provides the County the most favorable opportunity for competitive bids; and

WHEREAS, it is in the County’s best interest to contract for the operation of organic waste diversion sites based on an initial multi-year agreement not to exceed four (4) years. The contract period will include three (3) years of operations and up to one (1) year for site preparation and mobilization & demobilization. The agreement will provide the option to extend for up to two (2) additional one (1) year periods; and

WHEREAS, Article X, Section 10-11 of the County Charter requires that any contract, lease or other obligation requiring payment of funds from the appropriations of a later fiscal year or more than one fiscal year be approved by resolution; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I that in accordance with Article X, Section 10-11 of the Hawai’i County Charter, the Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into a four (4) year contract for services of furnishing and implementing green waste collection sites in West Hawai‘i and East Hawaii for the Department of Environmental Management and that sufficient funds be budgeted in future fiscal years to cover the anticipated obligation of the County under the terms of the agreement.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this resolution to the Mayor, the Director of Environmental Management and the Director of Finance.