Question: Has there been a change in policy concerning coolers and food at the Waikiki Shell? My wife and I went to the Sheryl Crow concert in April and were told we couldn't bring food and drinks in. I thought this was only for that show. On May 23, we went to the Honolulu Symphony Dave Koz concert and again we were told we couldn't bring our food in. Is this going to be the city's policy for all events at the Waikiki Shell? One of the good things about going to a concert there was being able to bring in your own food and drinks and have a picnic under the stars while watching the concert. First, no beach chairs; then only small coolers. Then no umbrellas and now no food or drinks. What's going on?

Answer: The policy banning outside food and beverages and other items has been in effect since 2007.

The problem with the past policy of allowing people to bring in outside food, beverages and whatnot was the lack of control, said Sidney Quintal, director of the city Department of Enterprise Services.

“;Even though we checked the coolers, many people were still smuggling in alcohol in fruit juices, water bottles and injected in food,”; he said. “;All of these we could not check.”;

Not only was doing so against the law, Quintal said, but it presented “;a major public control problem since many attendees became drunk and disorderly.”;

At the Waikiki Shell, in addition to outside food and beverages, Quintal said you are prohibited from bringing in coolers; large bags or backpacks; any kind of glass or plastic bottle (including water bottles); any kind of camera, video or audio recorder; lawn chairs; glow wands, laser lights, pens or pointers; or signs larger than 12-by-12-inches.

Question: I'm planning to donate old newspapers to my child's school, but there is a policy stating “;no glossy paper.”; Is there a listing of which companies print on glossy paper? Other than the obvious recyclable paper, some companies' ads are difficult to determine if they are glossy or recyclable. What should we do with the glossy paper?

Answer: The Star-Bulletin circulation department doesn't have any such listing of companies. Neither does the city Department of Environmental Services.

But basically, glossy would denote an obviously shiny, smooth piece of paper, such as the Foodland ad placed in MidWeek, or magazine stock.

“;By glossy, we simply mean gloss-coated ... a water-based coating,”; said Myah Ely, sustainability coordinator for Hagadone Printing Co. It would be “;very shiny and smooth.”;

Hagadone is the only company in the state that will accept glossy paper for recycling.

So while the city says you can just toss glossy paper into the trash (and when in doubt, throw it out, we're told), the general public has the option of taking it—as well as other recyclable paper—to Hagadone, at 274 Puuhale Road, between 8 a.m. and noon, the second Saturday of every month.

Call Ely at 852-6348 for more information.

Asked why the company accepts glossy paper, it's because “;we print on high-grade glossy (paper). We make magazines, catalogs, publications,”; etc. While it accepts a wide range of recyclable paper, Hagadone does emphasize it accepts glossy material because no one else does, Ely said.