City considers once-
a-week trash pickup

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

City Councilwoman Rene Mansho wants Mayor Jeremy Harris to look into once-a-week trash pickups for Oahu's 70,000 homes and other properties now on automated routes.

Mansho says the city might be able to save money by cutting in half the twice-a-week collection while starting a curb-side recycling program.

A resolution she introduced this week calls on the Environmental Services Department to do a study.

The 70,000 homes and businesses represent about half of those being serviced by the city. The city is aiming to be 80 percent automated in the next few years, pending negotiations with the United Public Workers, which represents refuse employees.

A Harris spokeswoman said the administration is already looking into the possibility of once-a-week pickup for all Oahu customers as a cost-cutting measure.

Mansho said she got the idea from Mililani constituents. The residents said the automated containers distributed by the city are so much larger than the usual cans, they don't need them emptied as often, she said.

The resolution notes that a consulting firm in 1994 recommended that the city convert its automated routes to once-a-week service.

She emphasized that her intent is not to rid the jobs of existing refuse workers to save money and suggested they could be used to help with a recycling program.

UPW officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Mansho said the second pickup day each week could instead be devoted to collection of recyclable materials such as paper and glass.

"Maybe we could reward residents who provide recyclable items on the second day," she said.

City spokeswoman Carol Costa said the administration is already exploring once-a-week pickup as a cost-cutting measure.

Last week, the administration began floating the idea of charging customers $1 for each garbage pickup. Budget officials estimated that would reap about $16 million annually for the financially strapped city if customers are charged for each of its twice-a-week pickups.

One idea, city spokeswoman Carol Costa said, would be to charge $1 for one pickup a week and then provide a recycle pickup each week for free. That scenario would provide the city $8 million.

Mansho said she's not yet convinced there needs to be a pickup fee.

"I think we need to look at all the user fees we're charging.