Wailea Makena residents can recycle their televisions and computers year-round at Habitat for Humanity's recently launched twice-a-week e-cycling program.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LAUNCHES PROJECT
By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
reprinted courtesy Maui News 2/2/09
Now Maui residents can recycle their televisions and computers year-round at Habitat for Humanity's recently launched twice-a-week e-cycling program.
Previously, residents and businesses had to wait for only two electronic recycling programs per year. Some people brought in as many as 50 computers to recycle, said Sherri Dodson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity on Maui.
"The whole point of this ongoing (e-cycling) is so people don't have to stockpile," she said.
The county funds the e-cycling program that now runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays at Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store Warehouse at the corner of Lower Main Street and Mamo Place in Wailuku. The building also will be the future home of Habitat's offices and program.
The current e-cycling program is funded 80 percent to 90 percent by county grant funds. Habitat received $41,000 for the fiscal year that ends in June. Habitat provides volunteer work to cover the rest of the costs, Dodson said.
Although the biweekly e-cycling program has been going "good" since it began this year, Dodson said people disposing of old electronic items need to understand how it works.
People should recycle their items on the advertised days and not just dispose of their property on-site, as dumping is illegal, Dodson said.
Electronic equipment is sensitive, and oftentimes working and salvageable equipment may get damaged if left out in the elements, she added.
Habitat staff inspects the donations to see what is useable.
Sometimes they are able to take working parts from different computers and put together a new one, Dodson said. Other times power cords and other types of attachments are recycled and given away.
Other recyclable items include those with electronic circuit boards such as televisions and gaming equipment. But no appliances are accepted.
Dodson said sometimes the useable equipment is donated to Habitat families, schools or nonprofits. Other useable items may also be sold, she said.
But if the items are not useable, they get shipped to the Mainland for recycling.
Dodson hopes to soon consolidate all Habitat's operations at the e-cycling site.
Currently Habitat's offices are in Puunene, and its Re-Store, which sells new and used building materials at 50 percent or below retail value, is in Happy Valley.
Dodson said she is still awaiting building permits.
She hopes to be in the Lower Main Street spot that Habitat will share with the Maui Farmers' Cooperative Exchange within the next several months.
When Habitat moves into the site, her Re-Store will expand from 4,500 square feet to 8,600 square feet.
Dodson said that with the shaky economy, the Re-Store has seen business grow at least 30 percent, as people are looking for reasonably priced items.
"I'm really anxious to get it open."
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com
reprinted courtesy Maui News 2/2/09
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