Organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation and Sierra Club are active in addressing broad environmental issues at the local level, including on Maui. But one island company and a homegrown community group are developing ways to recycle and reduce waste that could be adopted beyond the county.... Read article for full details
Updated: Dec 14, 2019
We are proud of who are are, as Maui’s cost-effective, environmentally-responsible inert materials recycling facility.
We are proud of what we do, permitted by the state of Hawai’i to recycle concrete, asphalt, sand, rock and dirt; all with low tipping fees, less wait time at the scale house, and a convenient process for clearance forms.
We are proud of the people and companies who have chosen to work with Hawai’i Materials Recycling (HMR), not only dropping off permitted materials but also purchasing LEED-certified products from the same location.
So we wanted to give a shout-out to the customers who have put a significant amount of time and resources into choosing recycled materials and diverting from the landfill, project after project.
As we reflect on a fantastic year, with so many individuals and companies that have made the choice to use Hawaii Materials Recycling, here’s a list that outlines our top customers in 2019.
Aloha Waste
Chris Hayes
Dennis MacDonald
Elite Concrete
Friendly Island Landscape
Hawaiian Dredging Construction
In and Out Builders
Kīhei Compost
Kings Excavation and Dirt Works
LC Hauling
Makena Builders
Maui Disposal
Pacific Concrete Cutting & Coring
PB Sullivan Construction
Rojac Construction
Shoreline Concrete
The Rock Landscaping
Valley Isle Enterprises
West Maui Construction
Since we are not a quarry, all of the products sold are from recycled material, we appreciate the support and flexibility. As we all know, landfill diversion is necessary and choosing to work with HMR is the best way to do your part and with the added benefit of not being a quarry, blasting or drilling into the earth, it is worth the effort and choice when purchasing material from us. In doing so, we have all helped the community of Maui save over $13 million in landfill costs.
So join our ‘ohana of wonderful companies making the choice to purchase recycled materials that contribute to LEED credits. It’s not only helping these businesses save financially, but also making a sustainable difference to our island and the earth!
Updated: Jan 17, 2020
Hawai’i Materials Recycling Keeps $7.93 Million Worth of Materials out of Landfill.
KIHEI, HI - Hundreds of thousands of tons — of concrete, asphalt, sand, rock and dirt.
Millions of dollars — right here where we live.
That’s what Hawai’i Materials Recycling (HMR) has SAVED Maui County and taxpayers, since
launching in June of 2018! Company co-owner Pete Sullivan breaks down the numbers, based on the (conservative) estimate of 155,000 tons of inert material dropped off over a 16-month span.
“If we looked at 155,000 tons, it equates to roughly 103,000 yards, and some years ago I was
told by the Director of the Department of Environmental Management that it costs $77 per cubic yard to make landfill space,” says Sullivan. “So the simple math equals about $7.93 million that the county and we as taxpayers will not have to spend, because we diverted that from the landfill.”
That equals about 6,200 truck loads (at 25 tons per truck load) dropped off at the HMR site off East Welakahao Road in Kīhei. The beauty is, trucks don’t have to leave empty! Trucks can dump their waste and get what they need by loading up on-site, saving in time, gas and money. In fact, that scenario would save $875,000 in trucking costs based on the initial numbers above.
Putting the numbers together, factoring in the low prices, less wait time and what WASN’T spent at the landfill, HMR has saved the public and county around $13 million. And they only opened last June! Just imagine what’s to come.
“The amount of money is really astronomical that these kinds of operations save the County in the long run,” says Maui County Councilperson Kelly King, who attended the blessing ceremony for HMR. “We’re beyond the point where we can just throw our trash away and not worry about it; we have to be responsible for all our waste and if we know it’s coming to a place like this, that’s the responsible thing to do.”
While HMR is very proud of the cost-savings, the fact is, value is not only measured in dollars.
As more and more customers make the choice to join in, our community can repurpose what’s already here and make a positive impact on our natural resources.
“If we looked at a yard of concrete that weighs about 2.2 tons, and you think about the materials it takes to make up that yard of concrete, I don’t care what form it’s in, it should never go in the landfill,” explains Sullivan. “So if we can avoid that and we can process it here, we’re creating less of a scar on the island.”
Since HMR is not a quarry, all products sold are from recycled material with a major added
benefit: no blasting or drilling into the earth. HMR practices its own sustainable methods onsite; for instance, the scale and scale house office is 100% powered by solar panels, with a
generator for back up. They also use only recycled (R1) water from the nearby Maui County
Wastewater Reclamation Facility.
Representatives from landowner Haleakalā Ranch share the passion for sustainability, as a
longtime local company that makes stewardship a top priority.
“We’re here to take care of this land; we treat our ownership of this property as more of a
responsibility to do what is right by the land and the people,” says Scott Meidell, Senior Vice
President of Haleakalā Ranch. “We’ve been at this for 131 years and I’m very proud to work for a company that emphasizes the need for stewardship, and I think that’s an apt characterization of what projects like these are.”
HMR is extremely grateful for its growing customer base — many of whom have already
diverted tons upon tons of inert materials from the landfill, picking up the processed products they need, including all types of spec rock, recycled concrete base, asphalt, soil, sand and more. Our dedicated customers include Aloha Waste, Elite Concrete, Mākena Builders, Maui Disposal, PB Sullivan Construction, Rojac Construction, Shoreline Concrete, The Rock Landscaping and West Maui Construction, among many others.
With low prices, short wait times and a range of selection, HMR is encouraged to see so many companies make the informed choice to not only save on costs, but do their part to help preserve our ‘āina. Learn more in this recent coverage from Hawai’i Public Radio and get details on our website!