Res Landfill Status | Department of Environmental Services

Landfill Status

* Act 73 affects the City’s ability to site a new landfill.

**Asbestos: PVT Landfill has informed haulers that due to Act 73, PVT will no longer be an option for asbestos after January 1, 2021. The city’s Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill (WGSL) began accepting asbestos containing material (ACM) January 6, 2021, and will accept ACM on Wednesdays only going forward. Disposal rates are set by ROH Chapter 9 Collection and Disposal of Refuse (Section 9-4.2). To set up a new disposal account, please contact Refuse Business Accounts at (808) 768-3410. Submit waste profiles to www.wmsolutions.com and once accepted a representative from Waste Management will assist with scheduling an appointment. Shipping records will also need to be provided in advance. Please call (808) 668-2985 ext. 110 regarding questions or concerns about scheduling and dropoff.**

The issues surrounding landfills are among some of the most difficult public discussions around the country. Everyone agrees efforts must be made to reduce the use of landfills through increased recycling, composting, waste-to-energy, and other technologies. This is a goal shared by the City and County of Honolulu which has reduced the need for landfill space by upwards of 90 percent. Although a landfill is not necessarily required every day, one is still needed to receive waste materials that cannot be processed, despite the city’s best efforts to do so. As such, planning for the next landfill location is still required.

Currently, O‘ahu has two landfills: the city-owned Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill (WGSL); and the privately-owned PVT landfill. WGSL is O‘ahu’s only municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill while PVT landfill is designated for construction and demolition waste only.

Continued Use of WGSL

Community concerns regarding the landfill are addressed by holding public meetings every three months to report on the status of the continued use of the landfill and the city’s efforts to reduce or continue use of the landfill.

The continued use of the WGSL is being determined. The city estimates the physical capacity of the landfill would enable it to continue to receive waste materials for at least the next 20 years. However, the State Land Use Commission (LUC) limited the duration of its use by order. The November 1, 2019, LUC Order requires the city to identify an alternative landfill site that may be used upon closure of WGSL by no later than December 31, 2022, and closes the landfill by no later than March 2, 2028.

It is essential for the city to maintain a landfill to accept MSW that cannot presently be reused, recycled or is unsuitable for H-POWER. The completion of the H-POWER Third Boiler Expansion project in mid-2012 substantially reduced the amount of waste disposed at the landfill, but certain types of waste remain unsuitable for processing at H-POWER.

Previous Landfill Siting Evaluations

Refer to the New Landfill Siting page for the latest landfill siting process.

The process to evaluate the merit of proposed landfill locations was conducted in two parts. For the first of the two evaluations, the mayor formed a Landfill Site Advisory Committee to assist the city in identifying landfill locations and to rank the sites based on certain criteria. The committee, with support from the Ccty’s consultant, evaluated over 300 parcels on O‘ahu. Using technical and regulatory restrictions and additional filters based on community concerns, the committee identified and ranked 11 potential locations. The meetings were open to the public, and public comment was accepted prior to the committee member discussions of agenda items. The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Landfill Site Selection final report (and appendices) were submitted in September 2012.

The second evaluation built upon the results of the first evaluation, ranking the 11 sites using six additional criteria: landfill lifespan, site development cost, roadway improvement cost, access road requirement, location relative to H-POWER, and acquisition. The Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Handling Requirements was finalized in November 2017.

Act 73, approved September 15, 2020, restricts waste disposal sites from being located in a conservation district and requires a buffer zone of no less than a half-mile around residences, schools and hospitals for construction, modification or expansion of waste or disposal sites. The enactment of Act 73 has affected the city’s ability to site a new landfill using the information in the November 2017 Landfill Advisory Committee. The city is working with a consultant to re-evaluate potential sites based on the restrictions imposed by Act 73.

LOCATION 1 – Upland Kahuku 2
TMK 57002001
1529 acres (Original)
898 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 2 – Upland Kahuku 1
TMK 56008002
1621 acres (Original)
1326 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 3 – Upland Pupukea 2
TMK 61007001
1672 acres (Original)
823 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 4 – Upland Pupukea 1
TMK 61006001
2177 acres (Original)
1390 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 5 – Ameron Quarry
TMK 42015001
382 acres (Original)
261 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 6 – Upland Nanakuli 1
TMK 85006011
882 acres (Original)
327 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 7 – Upland Laie
TMK 55007001
2231 acres (Original)
789 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 8 – Keeau
TMK 83001013
634 acres (Original)
239 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 9 – Kaneohe by H3
TMK 44012001
158 acres (Original)
118 acres (Usable)

LOCATION 10 – Upland Hawaii Kai
TMK 39010047
All 97 acres usable

LOCATION 11 – Kapaa Quarry Road
TMK 440011003
328 acres (Original)
361 acres (Usable

Meeting Notices

Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan

2019 Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan Final 2019 ISWMP Public Review Comments Final

Meeting Notices

April 20, 2012

March 16, 2012

February 1, 2012

November 8, 2011

August 16, 2011

Meeting postponed (TBD) Press Release

July 19, 2011

May 12, 2011

March 31, 2011

March 10, 2011

February 10, 2011

January 20, 2011

Public Hearing/Status Update WGSL

Upcoming Meetings:

January 14, 2025

December 24, 2024

10th Semi-Annual Report to state Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

October 22, 2024

April 16, 2024

July 3, 2024

Ninth Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

February 13, 2024

Eighth Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

January 23, 2024

October 17, 2023

August 8, 2023

July 7, 2023

Seventh Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

April 18, 2023

January 24, 2023

January 12, 2023

Sixth Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

October 18, 2022

August 2, 2022

April 30, 2022

Fifth Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

April 12, 2022

January 18, 2022

December 14, 2021

Fourth Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission Status of Actions Taken and Operations of WGSL

October 19, 2021

July 20, 2021

April 13, 2021

January 21, 2021

October 20, 2020

Second Semi-Annual Report to State Land Use Commission, Status of Actions taken and Operations of WGSL

Landfill Status

Continued Use of WGSL

Previous Landfill Siting Evaluations

Meeting Notices

Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan

Meeting Notices

July 31, 2019

October 2, 2018

July 10, 2018

June 12, 2018

April 3, 2018

February 13, 2018

January 9, 2018

November 7, 2017

Landfill Meeting Notices and Summaries

November 2017

September 25, 2012

April 20, 2012

March 16, 2012

February 1, 2012

November 8, 2011

August 16, 2011

July 19, 2011

May 12, 2011

March 31, 2011

March 10, 2011

February 10, 2011

January 20, 2011

Public Hearing/Status Update WGSL

Upcoming Meetings:

January 14, 2025

December 24, 2024

October 22, 2024

April 16, 2024

July 3, 2024

February 13, 2024

January 23, 2024

October 17, 2023

August 8, 2023

July 7, 2023

April 18, 2023

January 24, 2023

January 12, 2023

October 18, 2022

August 2, 2022

April 30, 2022

April 12, 2022

January 18, 2022

December 14, 2021

October 19, 2021

July 20, 2021

April 13, 2021

January 21, 2021

October 20, 2020

July 17, 2020

April 14, 2020

January 21, 2020

October 21, 2019

July 23, 2019

July 15, 2019

April 8, 2019

January 14, 2019

October 8, 2018

July 9, 2018

June 25, 2018

April 9, 2018

January 8, 2018

October 9, 2017

July 20, 2017

July 10, 2017

April 17, 2017

January 23, 2017

October 10, 2016

July 18, 2016

June 15, 2016

April 18, 2016

January 25, 2016

October 12, 2015

July 20, 2015

June 1, 2015