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Environmental Management - Curbside 3-Can Plan

Show All Answers

1. Why can't I put glass in my BLUE cart?

Glass breaks and broken glass contaminates other recyclable materials. Paper and plastic manufacturers do not want glass shards in their commodities. Please recycle your glass at the Recycling & Redemption Centers.

2. What is single stream recycling and do I need to separate my recyclables in the BLUE cart?

Single stream recycling means all recyclables go into one cart. You don’t have to sort each recyclable material type.

3. What happens to the BLUE cart recyclables once they are collected?

Recyclables are taken to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where they are sorted, baled, then sold to manufacturers who turn your recyclables into new products.

4. I saw a truck that looks like a rubbish truck pick up recyclables in my BLUE cart. Are the recyclables in my BLUE cart actually getting recycled or are they taken to the landfill?

The same truck is used to pick up rubbish, mixed recyclables, and green waste on the different pick-up days. The driver delivers each material type to the appropriate facility. The truck is washed out regularly and then used to pick up the next type of material.

5. Can I bag my recyclables in a plastic bag before I put them in the BLUE cart?

No, please don’t use bags. Put all mixed recyclables directly into the BLUE cart. Plastic bags are not recycled and will cause additional work at the sorting facility.

6. Do I need to rinse containers before recycling them in the BLUE Cart?

Yes. Please empty then rinse all containers. Recyclables are hand-sorted by helpful people at the MRF. Let’s do our part to make their jobs more pleasant.

7. Should I remove the lids and labels from jars and bottles before recycling them?

Lids - remove, labels can stay. Please discard all caps and lids; but the labels can stay on. Aluminum pop tops can stay attached or be put inside the cans.

8. What if I have more recyclables than will fit in my BLUE cart?

Store recyclables until your next pick up day or take to a recycling center. Click on the County's Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide to locate a center near you. Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide

9. What if I don’t want to recycle? Do I have to use my BLUE Cart?

Yes! If you received a BLUE cart then your household is participating in the County’s new curbside recycling program. By using the BLUE cart you will divert reusable materials from the landfill and help extend the life of the landfill. Carts are inspected on a regular basis. County residential refuse pick-up service requires you to follow the Curbside 3 Can rules. Your cooperation and assistance are key to the success of this new program.

10. Who do I call if I have recycling questions?

Call the County Curbside Call Center at 270-7700 and select 2.

11. What happens to the compostable food scraps and yard trimmings after they are collected from my GREEN cart?

Compostable items are taken to the County’s contracted co-composting operation run by Maui EKO Compost. Materials are processed with greenwaste and biosolids to create an EPA class “A” compost. Class “A” compost is EPA approved for fruits and vegetables as a soil amendment, adding essential nutrients to soil for gardening and landscaping.

12. What do I do with the kitchen compost container?

Place your Kitchen Compost Caddy in a convenient location in your kitchen. Refer to the instructions imprinted on the container for what can be put in it. Empty contents directly into your GREEN cart along with other green waste materials from the yard. NO PLASTIC BAGS! PLEASE KOKUA!

13. What if I only have material from the kitchen and not any from my yard. Is it okay to put only food scraps into the GREEN cart?

Yes, this is allowed.

14. I'm concerned that placing organic materials straight into my GREEN cart could make a mess. Can I put this material inside a plastic bag?

NO, plastic bags are NOT allowed in the GREEN Cart. All organics can go directly into the GREEN cart un-bagged. Rinse the cart out regularly. Plastic bags will contaminate the greenwaste and create problems at compost facility.

15. Since my GREEN cart will only be picked up once every other week, what can I do with the kitchen scraps that won’t fit in my Kitchen Compost Caddy?

While it is best to layer kitchen waste with yard waste in the GREEN cart to reduce possible odors, there are ways to store the scraps until your collection day. Consider the following:
• Freeze food scraps in a container. On your collection day, dump contents directly in to GREEN cart. (NO PLASTIC BAGS)
• Consider taking a Home Compost workshop so you can compost excess food and greenwaste in your backyard. For information about home composting workshops, call Joy of Worms at 573-3911, or click on the Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide. Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide

16. What do I do if I have more yard trimmings than will fit in my cart?

Store excess yard trimmings until the next greenwaste pick up day. Residential loads can be taken to EKO Compost at the Central Maui Landfill at no charge. For a complete list of options, check the Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide. Online Recycling and Disposal Resource Guide

17. Can I put large branches and Christmas trees in my GREEN cart?

YES. However, it is very important that you cut large branches to 3 feet in length or less to fit in the cart with the lid closed. Overfilled carts or those with lids that won’t close will not be picked up.

18. Can I put compostable or biodegradable food containers such as pizza boxes, paper napkins, paper plates, clamshells etc in my GREEN cart?

NO, these items are not allowed in the GREEN cart because the compost facility is not permitted to process these items. They must then be hand-sorted and disposed of by the workers. These items must be disposed of in your BROWN RUBBISH cart.