Having contributed to a rubbish heap through approval of an indeterminate contract, the city finally might find a way to salvage its shipment to the mainland. Federal approval that should have been required months ago now has been obtained for the shipments, and the city should find a way to board the rubbish, chalking the faulty process to experience.

The city entered into a contract with Seattle-based Hawaiian Waste Systems last September for the company to ship up to 100,000 tons of solid waste a year to the mainland at a cost to the city of $100 per ton. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had given its initial approval of the shipments nearly four years ago.

However, the department had delayed its final decision because of environmental concerns about water quality and invasive species at sites along Washington state's scenic Columbia River along the Oregon border. The delay prevented the company from shipping the garbage to the mainland.

The company has been storing nearly 20,000 tons of garbage shrink-wrapped in green bales at two facilities in the Campbell Industrial Park area. The city has yet to pay the company a dime, and the state has levied a fine of $40,400 against the company for illegally storing waste, and the company has asked for a hearing. City Council members talked last month of diverting $10 million that had been set aside for the company to next year's operating budget.

Patience was running out as questions swirled.

Finally, and fortunately, the Agriculture Department gave its decision on Thursday that “;no significant impact”; would be caused by the garbage shipments, clearing the way for the department's formal approval to haul the trash to a landfill in south-central Washington's Klickitat County.

Tim Steinberger, Honolulu's director of environmental services, says the city wants to give the company “;a chance to succeed.”;

In the years leading up to the contract and the subsequent delays, voters approved a City Charter amendment authorizing collection of recyclable materials. In 2008, the city recycled 674,000 tons of garbage, nine times the amount recycled in 1998.

The mainland shipments and recycling will not enable the closing of Waimanalo Gulch. Under current plans, the island's only landfill was to be limited to ash and residue from the HPOWER waste-to-energy facility. City officials have said the landfill may have to stay open for 15 years.

The city should approve any alterations needed in the contract to expedite the shipment. While the company was at fault for piling the refuse while awaiting federal approval, the city was derelict for allowing the premature activity and needs to get the shipments going.