The city quietly launched curbside recycling in the North Shore, East Honolulu and Kailua last week as it moves forward with service islandwide over the next two years.

The three communities join Hawaii Kai and Mililani, the first to receive curbside recycling last year in a six-month-long pilot project deemed to be successful.

When Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced the rollout of curbside recycling for Hawaii Kai and Mililani, he held a grand news conference and also announced an environmental plan. But news of the expansion of the curbside recycling was overshadowed by the general election.

“;It's been a smooth transition so far,”; said Markus Owens, spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Services. “;It takes a little transition for people to get into a new idea. They'll realize eventually that it's the best for everyone on the island.”;

Hannemann has promised to implement curbside recycling islandwide, though not as quickly as some City Council members would have liked.

The total cost for an islandwide curbside recycling program is estimated at $43.6 million, according to the city's report on the pilot project. The bulk of the costs are for the purchase of 260,000 bins for the entire island at about $23.4 million, costs that need to be spread out over a two- to three-year period, the report noted.

In two months, about 39,000 homes in the North Shore, Kailua, Lanikai and East Hono- lulu from Kuliouou to Manoa and Kapahulu will receive only one trash and one recyclable collection per week - eliminating the twice-weekly trash collection as demonstrated in Hawaii Kai.

“;We're coming on board after the city worked out a lot of other friction points pretty well,”; said Tom Heinrich, chairman of the Manoa Neighborhood Board, referring to the city's pilot project. “;I'm confident that a majority of Manoa should be pretty quick on it. This is a real supportive area of town for recycling.”;

Many residents in these communities voiced enthusiasm for the project, but had some of the same concerns as Hawaii Kai and Mililani residents did last year, primarily over potential odors with less-frequent trash pickups and the amount of space three bins take up.

“;The schedule is slightly confusing,”; said Joe Harding, a Kailua resident. “;Recycling has got to be done, there's no question about it. All in all, it's a good idea. It'll be interesting to see how it works out.”;