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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, December 29, 2005

BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Recycling trees keeps Yule going

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. Now that the Christmas holiday has passed, what can I do with my tree? I know that some years I had to drive it to a school to get it recycled and I'm wondering about what I have to do this year.

A. Honolulu recycling coordinator Suzanne Jones has numerous tips for "treecycling" this year, some of which were printed in a full-page ad in yesterday's newspaper and will run again Sunday. None of them involve schools, so please don't take them there.

The city offers several options for turning yesterday's yule tree into tomorrow's mulch or compost, Jones said. Just remember to remove the tinsel and other decorations. Jones also reminds residents that the city offers the mulch for free pick-up in locations across O'ahu including the composting sites listed below and Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, Makiki Community Garden, Ala Wai Community Garden, Waimea Valley Audubon Center and Wahiawa Community Garden.

Jones said about 50 percent of Honolulu residents recycle their trees. She encourages residents to think about using some of the same resources to recycle other hedge trimmings and plant scraps year-round.

"Tree trimmings and grass clippings from your yard deserve a second life as well," she said.

Here are the tree tips:

  • Put trees out curbside on your regular green-waste pick-up days. For trees 6 feet and larger, cut them in three-foot lengths. If you can't remember your green-waste day, call the nearest collection yard.

    HONOLULU, 832-7840

    KAILUA/KANE'OHE, 262-7298

    KO'OLAULOA (LA'IE), 293-5657

    PEARL CITY, 455-9644

    WAHIAWA, 621-5241

    WAIALUA, 637-4795

    WAI'ANAE, 697-1178

  • Drop trees off at city refuse and convenience centers in 'Ewa, La'ie, Wahiawa, Wai'anae, Waimanalo, Waipahu and Hale'iwa. Or drop trees at the composting sites run by Hawaiian Earth Products at Campbell Industrial Park (692-5895) and on Kapa'a Quarry Road (261-5877) in Kailua.

  • Businesses and condominiums can deliver trees to composting facilities as long as they're not Christmas tree retailers with leftover trees.

    The city estimates that Christmas trees account for about 600 tons of the 200,000 tons of green waste generated by O'ahu residents each year.

    For more information, go to www.opala.org or call the city's environmental concern line at 692-5656.

    If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

    Write to:

    The Bureaucracy Buster
    The Honolulu Advertiser
    605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
    Honolulu, HI 96813

    E-mail: buster@honolulu advertiser.com

    Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message. Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number in case we need more information.

    Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.