Waste Incinerator Proposed For NELHA

[Aaron S]

It has come to my attention a waste incinerator has been proposed to be built
at NELHA. There is more on this at my blog

http://thekonablog.wordpress.com/2007/12...for-nelha/

[missydog1]

we sure don't need more irritants and toxins in the air. The vog this week was intense enough. My asthma got so bad it scared me; I literally couldn't breathe. Now having to take prednisone and NOT happy about that.

Combustion triggers asthma.
Whereever it is on the island, most of us like to move around from place to place here without fearing to pass through some toxic zone.

[james weatherford]

Below is a very brief synopsis of the results of 2 years of research I have conducted. I have a full 8-page summary document, plus numerous links and references should anyone care to learn more. Contact me at gardengreen@hawaiiantel.net.
The issue has been, and continues to be, incorrectly defined as inadequate waste disposal capacity — “The South Hilo landfill is full, so we have a problem”. The solution to this ill-defined problem was subsequently wrongly defined as discovery of some means to increase capacity to dispose of an ever-increasing amount of waste.
Contrast the above to defining the problem as there being too much waste and therefore requiring a solution that reduces waste and the need for disposal capacity.

The County’s Request for Proposal (RFP) process to identify a ‘technology’ is flawed. The basis for the RFP, 2002 Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (ISWMP) was described by an internal County audit in 2006 as “outdated.” The states of knowledge, market conditions, and the local situation have changed in five years.
Information provided to the RFP was skewed to favor incineration. For example, there was no information about multiple incineration environmental violations and closures due to exposure of the environment to toxic substances, or that no incinerators had been built in several years. There was information that compost facilities had been closed due to odor problems and that no compost facilities had been built in several years.
The RFP established no requirement that vendors demonstrate good character through full information regarding criminal convictions and/or adverse civil judgments. The proposed incinerator builder/designer/operator has a history of felony convictions, adverse civil judgments, and violations of environmental regulations, as well as legal disputes with its customers (local governments).
Research over the past ten years has verified that recycling and re-use is most advantageous for the local economy and the community as whole, with superior economic performance in all of these local-economy indicators: sales, output, income, value added, and job creation.
Local businesses, local employment, and the local community as a whole benefit most from recycling and re-use, yet burning and burying resources remains at the forefront of Hawai`i County policy.
In other situations, neither regulation nor technology has prevented exposure of communities to pollutants known to be life-threatening. It may or may not be true that the facilities operated within regulatory limits on more days than not. It is true that regulations were enforced, if belatedly, with financial penalties and with an order to cease operations. Nevertheless, that enforcement did not protect the communities and there was exposure to life-threatening harm.
Beyond the possible emissions risk, there is a substantial financial risk for a small community like ours.
This financial risk arises out of two critical points:
1. The facility proposed for Hawaii County would have a capacity of about 200 tons per day. This is much smaller than is typical for the newer incinerators, especially for those built to create electricity revenue only (some small facilities in cold climates also sell steam heat). A smaller facility will cost more per ton than a larger facility. A volume of materials less than what is required to operate the facility at its optimum level will also increase cost per ton.
2. An incinerator in Hilo is estimated to require a capital investment of $100 million or more. Such a large financial commitment, and a need to burn as much material as it takes to lower per ton costs, will inhibit or preclude County investment in other alternatives. An incinerator in Hawaii County would result in a great lack of flexibility in cost saving adaptations to changes in waste stream mix and/or changes in resource markets.
Most importantly, given the serious financial risks, and reduced-but-not-eliminated environmental risks, I am confident that WTE mass burn incineration is not the best our community can do. There are viable and proven cleaner, safer, less costly, and less risky alternatives.
To contact Council Members:
http://www.hawaii-county.com/council/districts.htm
To contact the Mayor:
cohmayor@co.hawaii.hi.us


James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[dmbwest]

Isn't there one that burns medical waste right by Keaau H.S. ?

[Rob Tucker]

I would like to know more about the waste to energy set up on Oahu called H Power.

Somehow it seems to have been operating quietly and (I guess) successfully for a number of years. Why doesn't anyone discuss the positives of waste to energy generation? The positions sound like the national discussion on National Health Care. Oh! It's socialized medicine! It never works! (Except that I know, first hand, that that's not true!).

H Power appears to operate successfuly.

[Guest]

quote:

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I would like to know more about the waste to energy set up on Oahu called H Power.
..........

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There is a pretty good video located here:

http://www.honoluluhpower.com/tours.asp

You can also take tours:

Tour Days:
Tuesdays & Thursdays - Preferable
Wednesdays - No Tours
Tour Hours:
Morning Tour - 10 am to 12 noon
Afternoon Tour - 3:30 pm to 5 pm

I've never seen it. But I wonder if the politics of NIMBY would prevent something like that for the Big Island.


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Coming home soon!

[james weatherford]

1. H-Power facility has required scheduled and unscheduled down time for maintenance and repairs. The landfill got the stuff and is now overflowing.
2. Do we know there has been no environmental health problem at H-Power? No. In fact, for all of the talk about incineration being so safe, there are no epidemiological studies of 'host' communities to verify those claims. Wouldn't the incinerator sellers be keen to use such information to back up their claims?
There is research in Japan that has shown that students at elementary schools within two miles of a garbage incinerator have higher incidence of sore throat, stomach upset, headaches, and overall illness. Keaukaha Elementary School is about one mile from the proposed South Hilo site.
3. No one can say with certainty that a Hilo incinerator would cause environmental health problems, or that it would not! What is known, is that many other incinerators have and the consequences are long term and fatal.
4. Most importantly, and with absolutely nothing to do with NIMBY, is that burning garbage is not necessary. There are other alternatives proven to work for less money and with a lot less environmental health risks.



James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[JerryCarr]

Along with environmental concerns, I also have a big concern about the financial costs of waste to energy. Our county government does NOT have a good track record of estimating the construction costs or operational costs of big projects. If the County and the contractors are telling us it will cost $100 million, we can probably count on it costing $150M or more. As far as the energy production angle is concerned, the best I can say is that it would reduce our oil consumption by a small amount. $100M worth of solar arrays and wind farms would reduce our oil consumption by a much larger amount without producing noxious emissions.

We should try a crash course in reducing the amount of rubbish we generate in the first place. Add some stringent compulsory recycling and judicious use of on-island landfills, and we might not need an incinerator.

Cheers,
Jerry

[Rob Tucker]

Aloha JerryCarr,

I agree with much of what you say. In my mind it will take a mixture of efforts and solutions. I am still open minded about WTE because 1) I like electricity A LOT and 2) I don't like burning oil or nuclear plants. (to James) How is burning oil better than burning trash? (I agree waste strream reduction / recycling is a desirable goal).

I disagree with one thing. I have found, in examining some county contracts, that the county estimators had a pretty good grasp on what things should cost.

The procurement process (as it now exists) has their hands tied to the "lowest" bidder. The bids are all coming in at 200%+ of estimated costs and I do not think that fact is due to anything except lack of competition among contractors who are well aware of what they are doing.

Whether its WTE or a roof on a shed an underlying theme for me this coming election is what ideas can move forward to improve the buying power of we county taxpayers (I have a few).

[Guest]

quote:

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Along with environmental concerns, I also have a big concern about the financial costs of waste to energy. Our county government does NOT have a good track record of estimating the construction costs or operational costs of big projects. If the County and the contractors are telling us it will cost $100 million, we can probably count on it costing $150M or more. .........

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And the price tag seems to have already risen.

Jacobson said the price tag for an incinerator "could easily come to" $250 million.
"It's not going to be $100 million and it's never going to be $40 million (which was an
early estimate)," he said. "The cost of this will be enormous, and people aren't paying close attention to it."
Should the cost fall around $250 million, that would equal more than half of the county's operating budget, "and that money is going to have to come from somewhere," Jacobson said, adding that if the county takes the incinerator route, some programs would have to be cut....
From todays WHT:
http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/...ocal01.txt

Where is this money going to come from?

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Coming home soon!