Facts as far as I know. Some time ago (2 Years or so) the resale value of mixed paper dropped (or so they say). Maui Scrap Metal could no longer economicly spend labor and shipping to get it to their processors overseas. With no or little assistance from the county, Maui Scrap Metal gavr up their attempts to ship it out, but they still ketp collecting it. A year and a half went by (collecting paper the whole time) and the pile grew. At 1 year and 6 months the pile was 6 stories tall, and about 100 feet in diameter. Maybe they should have been doing some homework? This pile was exposed to the elements and spoiled, rotted, molded, and stagnated (possible health hazard?). Now rotted, it was worth nothing to no one, they may have even had to possibly pay for a processor overseas to accept it. They (Maui Scrap Metal) approached the county council proposing "to burn it". It sat, grew, and rotted. Every now and then, it mysteriously caught on fire. Each time it burnt, they soaked it, spread it, and turned it (again a possible health hazard?). Each time the county allowed them (Maui Scrap Metal) to takle some of it to the landfill (remember this pile was at one point to be recycled). Now, the pile has reduced, the pile was 1,000,000 lbs equaling 500,000 tons or mixed paper, 6 stories tall, and 100 feet in diameter. Now after hauling 2/3rds of it off, and the turning and the spreading, it now stands a mere 1 story tall and a larger diameter of 150 feet (lots of garbage) with a sprinkler making it soggier by the day. The picture here is not of the total pile at its largest, only about half remained at that point. Not to forget the hundreds of old rotten bails too (they lined the compound 15 feet high). Now companies (no residential) allowed to take their paper there have agreed to subsidise the expense if nessesary (not needed so far). Local drop boxes (the green ones) do not accept mixed paper anymore for these reasons. This whole sceme of events was never totally revealed to the public. We must educate ourselves and each other on these matters to make a difference. Please, lets not let sleeping dogs lie, lets do something. There are a few companies accepting commercial paper at this point, and only one collecting residential, Call Maui Recycling Service, Inc. for details on residential paper pickups. Otherwise this has been just another example of beauraucratic neglegance and ignorance. Lets all make an effort to prevent these types of issues in the Future. "There went a lot of landfill space".... |