GBB Takes County of Maui
Group on West
Coast Tour of Solid Waste Facilities
Maui group in San Francisco discussing the zero waste goals
and other programs with City officials.
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“Seeing is believing,” and
there is nothing
like seeing solid waste management systems
before sitting down to write a Solid
Waste Management Integrated Plan. Viewing,
and discussing the works of other communities
is a tremendous educational opportunity
to people who may only see a
trash truck once a week outside of their
home.
GBB led a tour for 17 people from the
County of Maui, Hawai’i, on an eight-day
tour of West Coast solid waste facilities.
The tour group was made up of citizens
from the Solid Waste Resource and Advisory
Committee (SWRAC), members of
Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares’
administration, and staff members of the
Hawai’i Department of Environmental Management.
The group landed in Portland, Oregon, and
visited the Metro Regional District’s facilities.
It then went to nearby Marion County
to tour Covanta’s waste-to-energy facility
and the County’s ash monofill.
Maui Representatives climb an ash monofill after touring
the Covanta Brooks Waste-to-Energy Facility in Marion County,
OR.
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The group then flew to San Francisco
to visit the City contractor’s MRF, transfer station,
education room, citizens’ drop-off facility,
and C&D
MRF. The group
was fortunate to
spend several
hours talking with
the City’s staff and
listening to Robert
Hailey’s zero waste
program strategies.
Next, the
group went to UC Davis to discuss alternative
disposal options and then to
nearby Vacaville to see San Francisco’s
food waste being composted.
Finally, the tour ended in beautiful Monterey,
California at the Monterey Regional
Waste District’s facility with its
Last Chance Mercantile, C&D MRF, wood
grinding operation, HHW facility, and a
chance to talk with the managers who
operate this public facility in a business
style.
One week after the tour, the members
of the SWRAC met with an expanded
knowledge base from which to build on
the solid waste management plan in
development for the County of Maui.
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