G.R.O.W. goes islandwide October 1st

HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) is expanding its G.R.O.W. (Green Recycling Organic Waste) program across Oʻahu on October 1, 2026. That means all residents with the three-cart, automated curbside collection service can include food scraps and wasted food in their green compost carts with their green waste!

The program encourages residents to place food scraps into their green waste carts reducing waste sent to Oʻahu’s landfill and supporting a more sustainable, circular system across the island.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi joined City Chief of Staff Andy Sugg, ENV Deputy Director Daniel Brieck, ENV Refuse Chief Josh Nagashima, Hawaiian Earth Recycling (HER) Vice President Marvin Min, on Tuesday at HER to announce G.R.O.W. expansion and urge everyone to participate.

“G.R.O.W. could help us reduce Oʻahu’s waste stream by an astonishing 20%,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Putting our food scraps and leftovers in our green carts is a simple step that we can all take to make a real and meaningful difference. G.R.O.W. is an innovative program that just makes sense and we are thrilled that our creative team at ENV is bringing this wonderful idea to life.”

“Every pound of food scraps you include in your green compost cart is a pound that doesn’t end up in our landfill,” ENV Deputy Director Daniel Brieck said. “Everything we compost instead of sending to H-POWER is a win because food scraps and wet materials rob energy from the burn process. Keeping them out of the waste stream helps H-POWER run more efficiently and that benefits all of us.”

ENV launched the G.R.O.W. pilot program in April in six neighborhoods (Kailua, Hawaiʻi Kai, Mililani, Nānākuli, Waipahu, and Kalihi)

“The results from our pilot phase have been promising,” ENV Refuse Chief Josh Nagashima said. “Our recycling teams have been testing different methods to encourage participation and tracking that participation by tipping lids in the pilot areas. We’ve seen about 15% participation and a significant reduction in contamination so far, which is a good start. We’re excited to take G.R.O.W. islandwide and get more households involved so we can maximize the impact the program can have.”

“We are so proud to be partnering with the city on the G.R.O.W. program,” HER Vice President Marvin Min said. “Our facility transforms the food scraps and green waste in the green carts into nutrient rich compost through a controlled composting process. It’s rewarding to be a part of that.”

What Residents Need to Know

ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS:

Fruits
Vegetables
Meat, fish and bones
Coffee grounds
Eggs and eggshells
Rice, bread
Leftovers/spoiled foods
If it GROWS it goes

DO NOT INCLUDE:

Plastic bags or plastic of any kind
Packaging or wrappers
Compostable or biodegradable bags, plates utensils
Glass or metal
Liquids, oils, grease
Pet waste
Household trash or hazardous materials

FOOD GOES IN LOOSE

Food must be put in the green compost cart loose, no bags allowed

HOW TO REDUCE ODOR & MESSY CARTS:

Keep food waste in a bag or container in the freezer until the night before the scheduled green cart pick up
Make sure there is green waste in the cart & bury the food waste in the green waste
Keep the green cart lid closed
Sprinkling baking soda or coffee grounds help reduce odors

“The success of this program starts with each one of us,” said ENV Director Roger Babcock. “When we include the food and keep plastics out, we help create a more sustainable future for Oʻahu.”

For more information about the GROW, go to honolulu.gov/env/grow

Department of Environmental Services
City and County of Honolulu
YouTube: @CCHNL_ENV
Instagram: @hnl.env
Facebook: HNL.ENV1

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