Post-Hurricane Reminder on Disposing Debris

As the Big Island is still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Lane, the Department of Environmental Management’s Solid Waste Division would like to remind all island residents of the available options for disposing of rubbish and debris.

MOST HOUSEHOLD RUBBISH CAN BE DUMPED AT A COUNTY TRANSFER STATION, FREE OF CHARGE. 

Household refuse which is usually generated by a family’s activities at their place of residence, including shrubbery, yard trimmings, and any other allowable material not exceeding fifty pounds or four feet in length, can be deposited into any solid waste transfer station container during normal working hours. Materials prohibited from being deposited at a transfer station include commercially hauled rubbish (generally more than 5 cubic yards; a large pickup truck), construction or demolition wastes, dead animals, and household hazardous wastes such as electronics, motor oil, paints and tires. A complete list of prohibited materials can be found online.

LARGE OR BULKY WASTES CANNOT BE DUMPED AT A TRANSFER STATION, AND MUST BE DISPOSED OF AT A COUNTY LANDFILL (WITH A DISPOSAL CHARGE)

Disposal of large household items by a private property owner, such as couches or mattresses, must be done at a county landfill and not in a transfer station bin. Please check with your insurance carrier if your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy will cover the landfill disposal fee (“tipping fee”). If you have a large quantity of solid waste and wish to apply for a waiver of the landfill tipping fee, please submit a ‘Request for Waiver of Tipping Fees’ to the county’s Department of Environmental Management. Only the mayor may grant a one-time waiver of this fee to community clean-up groups, nonprofit organizations, or private property owners. The application form and instructions can be found at two county websites: www.hawaiizerowaste.org/site-content/uploads/Request-to-Waive-Solid-Waste-Tip-Fees-2017-01-25.pdf, or www.hawaiicounty.gov/dem-solidwaste-division.

COMMERCIALLY HAULED RUBBISH CANNOT BE DUMPED INTO A TRANSFER STATION CONTAINER AND MUST BE TAKEN TO A COUNTY LANDFILL.

For further information, visit online, or call (808) 961-8270.