Honolulu City Council considers trash fee proposal

The Honolulu City Council has tabled for now a resolution urging the city administration to study the viability of a "pay as you throw" fee system for garbage collection. The proposal would charge residents for trash collection services based on the amount of garbage disposed of each week. Advocates say it encourages recycling.

Councilman Duke Bainum, the public infrastructure committee's chairman, said a broader waste-management study already is being proposed in the city's budget. "We're early in the game," Bainum said. "If we can't work out that language that is satisfactory in the budget item, then I'll be happy to revisit this."

He said the budgeted study will evaluate the costs to the city for trash collection and what it would cost for households if a "pay as you throw" system were adopted. Tim Steinberger, city director of environmental services, said such systems have been adopted in mainland cities with mixed results.

The proposed system would provide households trash receptacles of specific sizes, such as a gray 96-gallon bin, and have them pay a set fee for that amount of garbage each week. Households with more trash could get two bins, while those with less could get a smaller bin.