Starting October 1st, Honolulu residents with the City鈥檚 three-cart collection system will have a new way to keep food waste out of the landfill. The City and County of Honolulu鈥檚 G.R.O.W. food waste recycling program is expanding islandwide, allowing residents to put food scraps directly into their green compost cart.
Jenn Boneza, Public Information Officer with the City鈥檚 Department of Environmental Services, says the program is designed to make food waste recycling simple.鈥淚f it grows, it goes,鈥� Boneza says. 鈥淔ruits, veggies, meat, bread, rice, eggshells, coffee grounds, and of course regular green waste.鈥�
The City has already been testing the program in communities including Kailua, Hawaii Kai, Mililani, N膩n膩kuli, Kalihi and Waipahu. One concern for many residents is what Boneza calls the 鈥測uck factor.鈥� She says there is an easy way to manage food scraps before collection day.鈥淭he City鈥檚 number one tip is to keep your food scraps in a bag or container in the fridge or freezer until the night before your green cart pickup,鈥� Boneza explains. 鈥淭hen you want to dump that into the green bin loose 鈥� without the bag.鈥�