Every year on March 18, we celebrate Global Recycling Day, a time to promote caring for our environment through local community and worldwide efforts. From recycling aluminum cans and plastic bottles to truck tires and refrigerators, recycling plays an important role in protecting our planet and the life it sustains.
Hawaiʻi is renowned for its diverse marine life, beautiful beaches, and lush landscapes, but our environment is being polluted daily. Our birds ingest plastic, honu (green sea turtles) mistake plastic for food, and aluminum cans litter our beaches. To keep our ʻāina (land) healthy, we must embrace the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Ensuring that our recycling is properly managed and doesn’t end up discarded on our roadways, clogging storm drains, and polluting our oceans, is a simple step we can all take to mālama (protect) the environment that we call home. Here’s how to recycle like a professional:
Use Curbside Recycling
The City and County of Honolulu provide island-wide recycling programs through RRR (Reduce Reuse Recycle), making it easy for residents to dispose of recyclables properly. Simply place accepted items in your blue bin for pickup.
Drop off Items at a Recycling Center
Recycling centers are located across the island for your convenience! At these recycling centers, staff can assist with sorting and weighing items, ensuring proper disposal. Additionally, many recycling centers also accept items that aren’t suitable for regular curbside collection. To locate your nearest recycling center, use this map created by the Deposit Beverage Container Program: https://health.hawaii.gov/hi5/find-a-redemption-center/.
Sort Recyclables Correctly
Proper sorting is the key to effective recycling. Recyclables fall into four main categories:
- Paper and Clean Corrugated C ardboard
- Plastic (Codes 1 and 2 only)
- Metal (Aluminum and Steel)
- Glass
Properly labeling and organizing your recyclables makes it easier to ensure all items are in the correct disposal area. While ensuring you properly dispose of your recycling, don’t forget to also correctly dispose of your trash in the gray bin, and green waste in the green bin or at a local drop-off center.
Live and incorporate Aloha ʻĀina (love for the land) into your life this upcoming Global Recycling Day!
