By Staff Reports
(Oahu)– Mayor Kirk Caldwell was joined by Environmental Services Director Lori Kahikina and Deputy Director Tim Houghton today as they thanked Chinatown businesses who have successfully made the switch to handling their opala with trash bags instead of open-ended boxes. As a positive gesture, the city is providing these businesses with yellow trash bags through January 2020.
“I want to thank Chinatown business owners for stepping up and working hand in hand with the Department of Environmental Services on a new policy that is making a real difference in keeping sidewalks clear of opala,” said Mayor Caldwell. “It’s this type of teamwork that makes a real difference, and I want to thank the Chinatown business community for supporting this effort.”
Approximately 90 businesses who have their refuse collected by the city six days per week from Monday through Saturday, will be provided yellow trash bags through January 2020. Starting February 2020, all businesses will need to purchase their own yellow bags from a city-approved vendor.
The Department of Environmental Services (ENV) provides extended early morning trash collection to business account customers in Chinatown six days a week (Mondays through Saturdays). ENV will not pick up material that is not contained in a yellow bag.
“We’re looking at other mechanisms to better handle trash in Chinatown and differentiate our business customers from other non-city trash sources,” said ENV Director Kahikina. “We will continue reviewing all methods of refuse collection in Chinatown, including automated refuse collection with wheeled carts, to help reduce health and safety hazards.”