Residents should attend pay-as-you-throw discussion today at civic center
The pay-as-you-throw garbage plan to be discussed by the County Council Environmental Management Committee today is more likely to result in damage to the environment than benefit.
I would further suggest that it represents a regressive tax on those least able to afford it. While 50 cents or a dollar would not mean much to most of us, there are many on this island with large families, who live at or near the poverty line, and for whom those small amounts would have a serious impact. There are some who often find that they have scarce food in the house at the end of the week or month before the next salary, retirement, Social Security or welfare check arrives. A dollar may not seem like much to us, but it will purchase a can of beans or a 99 cent burger from a fast food stand to keep hunger at bay. What will they choose, between buying a subsistence meal or throwing out a bag of trash?
The bill’s author cites studies which purport to show that illegal dumping can decrease when garbage fees are enacted. I don’t know where these studies were carried out or what other factors were involved, but I do know that over time, I have been inclined to discount findings that contradict common logic, i.e. charging people to dispose of garbage properly will cause them to do more of it.
It has been my observation that in Hawaii County, illegal dumping is rampant. I’ve seen the streets and countryside littered with everything from large food containers to old cars. Charging more for disposal will make it even worse.
There is no space here to discuss the cost effectiveness of this proposal. How will the disposal be monitored? How will it be ascertained as to who’s tossing how many bags, and what sizes? How many staff will be needed and what will be the cost? Would the fee program be expected to cover all the costs?
Hopefully, many of these questions will be answered at the Council’s meeting today at 3 p.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center, with video conferencing available at the Hilo council chambers. I strongly suggest that if you have a concern for our environment and want to keep our beaches, parks and landscapes free of garbage, please participate.
Chuck Fleming
Kailua-Kona