Scaling Down Waste

Naiwa landfill opens new cell.

The less trash there is on Molokai, the more land there is. That is the goal of the Naiwa Landfill off of Kamehemeha Hwy, and even as they open a new cell, staff is already experiencing less traffic.

Kawika Crivello is the environmental management attendant at the landfill, and said the tons of landfill trash he sees has decreased from 17 per day to 13 in the past year. He attributes the decrease to a combination of people buying less – thus throwing away less – and the recycling programs in the same facility.

now, we’ll fill the landfill in 16 years,” he said. “That’s the goal anyway.” He added the rate would increase over time so each cell will take longer to fill, and less land would be “grabbed” for future sites.

However, there is one item in the landfill that concerns Crivello. Irrigation hoses known as t-tape from local farms have accumulated at the landfill, and Crivello said added the plastic hoses have taken up air space of an estimated eight months worth of regular household garbage.

Tracy Takamine, Solid Waste Division Chief of Maui County, said the hoses are being used as ‘fluff layer,’ over the heavy plastic lining and under the rubbish. Members of the public have questioned this “odd practice” to Crivello, but Takamine said it keeps the plastic lining from being punctured and the landfill from leaking.

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