Condo Recycling Program
The City and County of Honolulu offers condos and multi-family properties informational guides and assistance in establishing a recycling program. Read about our options Ekahi, Elua, and Ekolu below. Contact the city’s Recycling Branch for any questions at opala@honolulu.gov or call (808) 768-3200, extension 7.
1 – EKAHI: KNOW YOUR OPALA
The city provides a multitude of residential services for recycling and disposal of your household items. We offer informational handouts and guides to keep your residents in the loop about best management practices to help keep our island clean. Contact our office at (808) 768-3200, ext. 7 and we will work with you for your informational needs. See what’s available below. For electronic versions, visit our Resource Library page.
Guides & Handouts
- Bring Your Own Bag reminder sticker
- Bulky Item Collection guide
- Construction and Demolition Waste for Homeowners Only tip card
- Dead Animal Collection tip card
- Drop-Off Disposal Facility Map
- Food Too Good to Waste booklet
- Household Hazardous Waste tip card
- Mandatory Business Recycling tip sheets (Food, Glass, Office Paper)
- Plastic Bag Ban tip sheet
- Propane tip card
- Recycling Disposal Guide for Oahu
- Sort it Out tip sheet
- Tires tip card
- What’s in Your Blue Bin sticker
For the Keiki
- Opala IQ Activity booklet
- Where Do Things Go coloring book
- Condo Recycling Program Tip Card: Overview of the assistance available for condos and multi-family properties.
2 – ELUA: LOANER WHEELED CARTS
The city offers long-term use of our 96-gallon wheeled carts for your recycling collection program. The property is responsible for arranging pick-up or transport of recyclables and maintaining and securing carts. Up to 20 carts can be loaned. Annual progress reports will be required for participating properties. Complete and submit the Recycling Collection Container Form to request use of the carts.
Decals to label your carts with appropriate material types (e.g. aluminum, plastic) are also available.
3 – EKOLU: START A COST REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM
The city will reimburse multi-family property associations or residential building owners for expenditures associated with start-up of recycling programs for their residential facilities. Reimbursement can be up to $2,000.00 depending on funding availability. Costs can include recycling containers, equipment, educational material, and system design consultation and coordination. Follow these easy steps to get established:
STEP 1: Plan & Consult:
Think about how you want to organize your recycling program. The city will work with you to help set-up your plan. Considerations:
- Material types you want to recycle
- Types and quantity of receptacles needed
- Optimal locations for receptacles
- Collection or delivery of recyclables
- Promoting your program
STEP 2: Pre-approval Request
Once you have an idea of how you want to organize your recycling program, complete the Reimbursement Pre-approval Form. Email the completed form to opala@honolulu.gov or mail to our office at 1000 Uluohia Street, Suite 201 Kapolei, HI 96707.
STEP 3: Reimbursement Request
Once pre-approval is given, complete and return the Reimbursement Request Form with the required documents (e.g. receipts, photographs, etc.). Qualifying properties are required to register using the dity’s Vendor Self-Service (VSS) registration process.
STEP 4: Implement, Maintain, & Report
Set up your recycling program and educate your residents about proper practices for your program. Properties that start a recycling program will receive periodic visits from city personnel who will monitor the progress of the program. The association or building owner will be required to submit annual progress reports to the city.
COLLECTION OPTIONS:
- Collectors & Recycling Companies – Work with a refuse hauler, collector, recycling company, or non-profit organization to have your recyclables picked up.
- Recycling Center – Do-it-yourself hauling your recyclables to your nearest center.
TIPS:
General Tips:
- Recycling benefits multi-family properties by reducing overall rubbish tonnages. This can potentially reduce costs for refuse services.
- For your program, set-up containers in a centralized, convenient location. Examples are common areas, such as parking garages or by trash chutes.
- Use signage that is easy-to-read to help minimize any unwanted material within your program.
- Consider reuse and donation options before disposal. Visit our Waste Prevention page to learn about reducing waste and view a list of organizations that accept donation of used items.
Green Waste Practices:
- Yard trimming from common areas can be chipped, mulched and used on your landscaping.
- Have your landscape contractor remove the green waste and deliver to a composter rather than leaving it for disposal.
- Leave grass clippings on the lawn.
- Self-haul to a composting facility. The city has a contract with Hawaiian Earth Recycling, and residents can dispose at no charge at this composting facility. Visit our Waste Drop-Off Locations page for contact information.