AHUKINI — Francis Harper, a Reynolds Recycling employee, said the good thing about the new location at the Kauai Resource Center is that it’s covered.
“Look,” he said. “The wind is blowing in our face, we have shade, and when it rains, we’re under cover.”
Harper and the remainder of the crew relocated from the Nawiliwili Harbor site, and were joined by dignitaries from the County of Kauai in blessing the new facility.
The new facility is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days a week, closed Wednesdays and Sundays.
The certified redemption center accepts all Hi5 products and also will have a buy-back program for aluminum, copper, brass and stainless steel scrap metals.
The opening of the Ahukini location will not affect the Reynolds site in Kapahi.
“I’m excited to be here,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “Recycling is one of the county’s top priorities, and the Hi5 program is one of the most effective waste-diversion programs in Hawaii with more than 7 billion containers redeemed since the program’s start. We are lucky to have such an experienced vendor in Reynolds Recycling to provide service out of our Kauai Resource Center.”
Acting County Engineer Lyle Tabata added his thank you, noting that for some individuals on Kauai, the redemption of Hi5 containers is an important source of income.
“We look forward to welcoming all our current and new customers to this bright, newly-refreshed location,” said Terry Telfer, president of Reynolds Recycling. “Reynolds has been recycling for 38 years. We are locally owned and operated, and work to preserve and protect Hawaii’s natural beauty.”
Telfer said Reynolds Recycling is looking for people who want to work.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
Unfortunately, the reporter never asked the big question. Where is this “recycling” actually going? Since China is not buying recycling anymore this is heading straight for the county landfill. This is what I’ve heard from legitimate county sources. Can the Garden Island check on this and hopefully prove this wrong? For all of use that spend a lot of personal time rinsing, separating, and transporting our recycling to the county bins this, if true, is a slap in the face… I would rather be surfing
Aloha Respect Kauai, while your question has come up before, your information is fortunately wrong. For the HI-5 Program all materials must be recycled, and proof from the “end-user” is required. We do not sell plastics to China, but they are sold elsewhere in Asia. Glass is sent to California for reuse, and aluminum is also sent to the mainland for re-smelting into new aluminum products. So please keep on recycling, and enjoy the cleaner ocean environment which you help to maintain. Reynolds Recycling, Your Neighborhood Recycler.
Reynolds is an aluminum company that makes aluminum foil! They recycle the waste into bottling and reprocessing facilities.
Aloha Kakou,
How about the Mayor work with the state on allowing some of the prisoners to be stationed daily at the recycle and transfer stations to help unload the TRASH and sort the recycles, repaying their debt to society and helping the community instead of sitting or playing volleyball at the KCCC.
MAHALO
Charles