Solid waste is one of the largest issues we face right now. I have worked on landfill monitoring projects before moving home and understand landfills and alternative waste treatment methods. I will work to address our solid waste concerns across the board.
We are out of time. The development of a landfill will likely take longer than we currently have, before Kekaha expires in five years, and we will be shipping our waste off island at a huge cost to taxpayers.
We must allocate a location and move into planning and development of the new landfill. We must ensure it meets the highest and best environmental standards and we do everything we can to mitigate impact to surrounding communities and the environment.
We must do everything we can to focus on waste reduction and diversion tactics. We need to expand composting capacity, create diversion incentives for generators of commercial green waste and food, and address residential green waste and food waste which make up 28% of landfilled waste. Encouraging recycling and reuse of construction and demolition waste, which makes up and estimated 24% of landfill waste. Reducing our waste generation and then diverting whatever we can from the landfill will be critical in establishing responsible waste management for our small island.
I support curbside recycling and efforts to make recycling easier and more convenient for residents. I support the development of a dirty MRF that will help us divert waste from the landfill. I will also work on efforts to reduce waste production, working with local businesses and importers to figure out where there are ways we can reduce our waste generation in other ways, particularly relating to plastic. I will also support efforts to ensure TVRs are properly providing recycling and other ways we can work to limit the waste that ends up in our landfill.