The obvious need for a comprehensive curbside recycling program in Hawai'i was emphasized this week at the state Legislature.

An idea, briefly considered, but now in limbo would have required Honolulu to begin curbside recycling by Jan. 1, 2008. That's the right impulse but the wrong way to go about achieving this worthy goal.

There were several problems with the measure, including the basic home-rule issues. Another snag was that the bill was written so that it applied only to O'ahu, which doesn't seem fair.

And although the measure anticipated the state putting some money toward the project, it was far from clear that there would be enough to pay for the entire project.

O'ahu's curbside recycling is in limbo. Mayor Mufi Hannemann has put off implementing the program, citing difficult logistics, costs and potential union concerns.

For now, Hannemann says a more achievable means of reducing the flow of waste into our landfills and heavily taxed H-Power facility is to step up curbside collection of greenwaste.

Starting as early as next month, the city will begin offering collection using already distributed blue recycling bins, potentially increasing the amount of greenwaste that gets profitably recycled.

This effort, combined with the growing interest in recycling bottles and cans because of the state's "HI-5" redemption program, reduces the pressure for universal curbside recycling, the city says.

That all may be true. But curbside recycling cannot wait. As an island community with limited landfill space, we should be doing all we can to make recycling as convenient, efficient and customary as possible. That should include a plan to allow consumers to redeem empty recyclables where they bought them.

The state curbside bill, flawed as it was, recognized the public's desire for curbside recycling. It's time for the city to go beyond half-measures and make universal curbside recycling a reality.