As the University of Hawaiʻi aims for zero-waste goals, students got a close up look at how waste is handled on Oʻahu through participating in a tour coordinated by the City and County of Honolulu to two waste management facilities: H-POWER and Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in December.
This initiative, coordinated by the UH Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Student Sustainability Council, was part of the broader “Tour de Trash” program at UH, which aims to explore the path of our ʻōpala (trash).
“The tour de trash was very eye-opening in learning how our waste gets managed and what gets done to it,” said Alexander Ah-Tye, a UH student participant. “Typically we don’t give throwing away trash a second thought since it’s out of sight and out of mind. Seeing it in person really makes you consider how much waste we produce within our island. It made me a little self-conscious of all the times I have haphazardly thrown tons of non-recyclable and non-renewable materials away.”
The first stop was H-POWER, a waste-to-energy facility in Kapolei. Participants witnessed how municipal solid waste is incinerated to generate electricity for Oʻahu. A highlight was observing crane operators maneuvering massive amounts of waste into the incinerator. H-POWER processes approximately 700 tons of waste annually, showcasing its role in reducing landfill reliance while generating renewable energy.
The second stop was the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill, which manages the final destination for Oʻahu’s non-recyclable waste. Participants noted the landfill’s operations and commitment to minimizing its environmental impact.
“This tour was designed to give students a firsthand look at how our waste is managed and transformed into energy,” said Ruby Aliason, UH Office of Sustainability event organizer. “By seeing these processes up close, we hope to inspire students to think critically about waste reduction and sustainability efforts on campus and beyond.”
