WASTE REDUCTION
Photo Courtesy of Noah Pomeroy, NOAA
Hawai'i Green Growth set ambitious targets in the areas of clean energy, local food, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities and green workforce to build a more secure, sustainable and resilient economy for Hawai'i by 2030.
HGG 2030 Target: Waste Reduction:
Reduce the solid waste stream prior to disposal by 70%, through source reduction, recycling, bioconversion, and landfill diversion methods.
2030 Target Background
The State of Hawai'i established a state law mandating solid waste stream reduction by 50% by January 1, 2000. However, this goal was not reached in Hawai'i for many reasons. It also has not yet been achieved by any state in the US. HGG members agreed to recommit to the State's waste reduction goal as a 2030 target. Before the launch of the Aloha+ Challenge, the State of Hawai‘i, the counties, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs agreed to make the target even more ambitious by increasing the goal to 70% waste reduction by 2030.
Leadership in Waste Reduction
The Department of Health's Office of Solid Waste Management is lead on Hawai'i's waste reduction goal and developed the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan to help implement solid waste reduction.
HGG's work in waste reduction is guided by the Department of Health, Kupu Hawai'i, Kanu Hawai'i, Kokua Hawai'i Foundation and Ulupono Initiative.
Measuring Progress
To ensure the State of Hawai'i is reaching its waste reduction goal, stakeholders are developing indicators to track progress on the state's target.
- The Department of Health submits an annual Solid Waste Management report to the Legislature to demonstrate yearly progress.
- Non-profit organizations such as Kupu Hawai'i's Rewarding Internships for Sustainable Employment (RISE) program are also collecting food waste and marine debris metrics.
HGG's Sustainability Measures Start-Up Project is working with these partners, the Counties and others statewide to agree on a credible set of practical, public statewide sustainability indicators to inform decision-makers and the public on progress on our six sustainability targets.