Rates and Data
Below are O‘ahu’s solid waste generation rates from 2019 to 2023. Although waste to the landfills and H-POWER is tracked monthly, recycling data is provided by recycling companies, including some businesses that recycle their own waste, that are surveyed annually. In some cases, where exact amounts are unknown, estimates are used. Recycling data for 2023 was gathered and compiled during the first half of 2024; updated charts and analysis are posted below. Recycling data for 2024 will be gathered and compiled during the first half of 2025 and posted, accordingly.
O‘ahu’s waste data is presented in two charts:
- TOTAL WASTE, which includes Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) material, processed through recycling, waste-to-energy or landfilling; and
- MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW), includes everything except C&D material.
Both charts, which present data for the most recent five calendar years (2019 to 2023), illustrate how O‘ahu’s waste has been diverted from the landfill at increasing rates through recycling and waste-to-energy.
TOTAL WASTE data is presented in the chart below. For 2023, overall C&D tonnage decreased slightly from 2022 data. The percent of material diverted from the C&D landfill through recycling decreased in 2023 because the C&D landfill ceased their recycling operations and the total tonnage delivered to the C&D landfill decreased drastically. C&D recycling, general material recycling and waste-to-energy combined to divert more than 66.7% of Oahu’s waste from landfills in 2023, an increase of more than 9.6% from the previous year. There are two landfills on O‘ahu: The city’s Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill (WGSL), which is designated for MSW, and the privately-owned PVT Landfill, which is permitted for C&D waste only.
The chart is displaying the Total Waste Stream on O‘ahu in tons for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The total waste for year 2019 was 2,000,645 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- Construction and Demolition Recycling: 534,722 tons representing 26.73% of the total waste.
- Construction and Demolition on Landfill: 268,796 tons representing 13.44% of the total waste.
- General Material Recycling (Municipal Solid Waste): 407,566 tons representing 20.37% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy (Municipal Solid Waste): 544,311 tons representing 27.21% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 196,606 tons representing 9.83% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 48,644 tons representing 2.43% of the total waste.
The total landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste and Construction and Demolition Waste represents 76% of the total waste for 2019.
The total waste for year 2020 was 1,689,829 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- Construction and Demolition Recycling: 417,854 tons representing 24.73% of the total waste.
- Construction and Demolition on Landfill: 61,694 tons representing 3.65% of the total waste.
- General Material Recycling (Municipal Solid Waste): 469,703 tons representing 27.80% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy (Municipal Solid Waste): 502,352 tons representing 29.73% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 182,112 tons representing 11% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 56,114 tons representing 3.32% of the total waste.
The total landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste and Construction and Demolition Waste represents 83.6% of the total waste for 2020.
The total waste for year 2021 was 1,692,840 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- Construction and Demolition Recycling: 255,135 tons representing 15.07% of the total waste.
- Construction and Demolition on Landfill: 222,238 tons representing 13.13% of the total waste.
- General Material Recycling (Municipal Solid Waste): 437,578 tons representing 25.85% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy (Municipal Solid Waste): 513,635 tons representing 30.34% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 157,531 tons representing 9.31% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 106,723 tons representing 6.30% of the total waste.
The total landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste and Construction and Demolition Waste represents 72.5% of the total waste for 2021.
The total waste for year 2022 was 1,635,717 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- Construction and Demolition Recycling: 223,444 tons representing 13.66% of the total waste.
- Construction and Demolition on Landfill: 185,000 tons representing 11.31% of the total waste.
- General Material Recycling (Municipal Solid Waste): 445,633 tons representing 27.24% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy (Municipal Solid Waste): 555,216 tons representing 33.94% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 148,504 tons representing 9.08% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 77,920 tons representing 4.76% of the total waste.
The total landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste and Construction and Demolition Waste represents 76.3% of the total waste for 2022.
The total waste for year 2023 was 1,699,298 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- Construction and Demolition Recycling: 210,108 tons representing 12.36% of the total waste.
- Construction and Demolition on Landfill: 294,267 tons representing 17.32% of the total waste.
- General Material Recycling (Municipal Solid Waste): 412,654 tons representing 24.28% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy (Municipal Solid Waste): 490,864 tons representing 28.89% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 141,988 tons representing 8.36% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 149,417 tons representing 8.79% of the total waste.
Municipal Solid Waste or MSW data is presented in the next chart. MSW landfill diversion rates decreased to 77% in 2023 from 83% the previous year. Continued refurbishment projects along with unscheduled outages in 2023 created closures which caused some waste that would normally go to H-POWER to be diverted to the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill. The city will continue to see an increased in landfill diversion through increased participation in recycling and H-POWER to continue their climb in 2024 and 2025.
The chart is displaying the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream on O‘ahu in tons for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The Total Municipal Solid Waste for year 2019 was 1,197,127 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- General Material Recycling: 407,566 tons representing 34.05% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy: 544,311 tons representing 45.47% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 196,606 tons representing 16.42% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 48,644 tons representing 4.06% of the total waste.
The total Landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste represents 82% of the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream for 2019.
The Total Municipal Solid Waste for year 2020 was 1,210,281 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- General Material Recycling: 469,703 tons representing 38.81% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy: 502,352 tons representing 41.51% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 182,112 tons representing 15.05% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 56,114 tons representing 4.64% of the total waste.
The total Landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste represents 82% of the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream for 2020.
The Total Municipal Solid Waste for year 2021 was 1,215,467. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- General Material Recycling: 437,578 tons representing 36.00% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy: 513,635 tons representing 42.26% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 157,531 tons representing 12.96% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 106,723 tons representing 12.96% of the total waste.
The total Landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste represents 80% of the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream for 2021.
The Total Municipal Solid Waste for year 2022 was 1,227,273 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- General Material Recycling: 445,633 tons representing 36.31% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy: 555,216 tons representing 45.24% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 148,504 tons representing 12.10% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 77,920 tons representing 6.35% of the total waste.
The total Landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste represents 83% of the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream for 2022.
The Total Municipal Solid Waste for year 2023 was 1,194,923 tons. This total comes from the addition of the waste generated by:
- General Material Recycling: 412,654 tons representing 34.53% of the total waste.
- H-POWER Waste-to-Energy: 490,864 tons representing 41.08% of the total waste.
- H-POWER (Ash and Residue – Landfill): 141,988 tons representing 11.88% of the total waste.
- Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: 149,417 tons representing 12.50% of the total waste.
The total Landfill diversion for Municipal Solid Waste represents 77% of the Total Municipal Solid Waste Stream for 2023.
For a breakdown of O‘ahu’s waste by type and tonnage, see the 2017 and 2006 Waste Characterization Studies. For a further discussion of solid waste projections for 2025, see Future Plans.
*H-POWER Ash/Residue tons are counted separately to avoid double counting
Recycling Data
The city has gathered annual recycling data since 1988 (except for 1989 and 1990). The tables below provide detail of tons recycled by material type for 2023. General material recycling on O‘ahu has increased by more than 500% since 1988 to over 412,654 tons today. Recycling of construction and demolition (C&D) materials, such as concrete, rock and asphalt accounts for an additional 210,108 tons to the recycling rates, for a total of over 622,762 tons recycled material for 2023.
| YEAR | GENERAL MATERIAL RECYCLING | C&D RECYCLING | TOTAL RECYCLED |
| 2023 | 412,654 | 210,108 | 615,937 |
| Material Type | Amount in tons |
| PAPER | 55,156 |
| Corrugated Cardboard | 44,983 |
| Newspaper | 5,182 |
| Office Paper | 4,690 |
| Other Paper | 152 |
| METALS | 134,676 |
| Ferrous (includes autos) | 123,960 |
| Non-Ferrous (includes aluminum) | 10,715 |
| GLASS | 9,293 |
| PLASTIC | 4,469 |
| TIRES | 30,231 |
| AUTO BATTERIES | 4,717 |
| ELECTRONIC SCRAP | 4,717 |
| GREEN WASTE (yard trimmings) | 101,159 |
| WOOD WASTE/PALLETS | 4,252 |
| CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION (rock, concrete, asphalt) | 210,108 |
| FOOD WASTE | 48,943 |
Visit this link for a breakdown of the recycling data from previous years
| YEAR | GENERAL MATERIAL RECYCLING | C&D RECYCLING | TOTAL RECYCLED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 445,633 | 223,444 | 669,077 |
| 2021 | 437,578 | 255,135 | 692,713 |
| 2020 | 469,703 | 417,854 | 887,557 |
| 2019 | 407,566 | 534,722 | 942,288 |
| 2018 | 431,911 | 868,617 | 1,300,528 |
| 2017 | 434,933 | 763,279 | 1,198,212 |
| 2016 | 430,831 | 830,414 | 1,261,245 |
| 2015 | 449,152 | 731,865 | 1,181,017 |
| 2014 | 475,953 | 401,335 | 877,288 |
| 2013 | 477,011 | 257,287 | 734,298 |
| 2012 | 487,159 | 179,906 | 667,065 |
| 2011 | 490,061 | 181,087 | 671,148 |
| 2010 | 448,639 | 101,556 | 550,195 |
| 2009 | 426,947 | 116,670 | 543,617 |
| 2008 | 456,876 | 216,745 | 673,621 |
| 2007 | 453,282 | 148,952 | 602,234 |
| 2006 | 421,072 | 121,675 | 542,747 |
| 2005 | 417,669 | 193,829 | 611,498 |
| 2004 | 386,338 | 173,916 | 560,254 |
| 2003 | 366,639 | 106,773 | 473,412 |
| 2002 | 352,699 | 139,055 | 491,754 |
| 2001 | 367,300 | 114,070 | 481,370 |
| 2000 | 327,710 | 165,000 | 492,710 |
| 1999 | 314,075 | 225,200 | 539,275 |
| 1998 | 318,690 | 148,800 | 467,490 |
| 1997 | 313,394 | 204,400 | 517,794 |
| 1996 | 299,574 | 95,300 | 394,874 |
| 1995 | 294,340 | 44,400 | 338,740 |
| 1994 | 290,412 | 35,700 | 326,112 |
| 1993 | 241,600 | 30,000 | 271,600 |
| 1991 | 167,152 | 0 | 167,152 |
| 1988 | 73,992 | 0 | 73,992 |