There are many everyday household products that are also recyclable or have specific disposal procedures.  Below is a list of some household products that are currently recyclable, can be diverted from the landfill or have special disposal instructions.  If you have suggestions or questions on any other commodities not listed here, please contact us so we can update our list. Mahalo for your kōkua!

Other Commodities

 

Medical Waste, medications & MEDICAL SUPPLIES

The National Council on Aging’s Adviser has compiled an informative guide on How to Manage or Donate Unused Medical Supplies.  It contains thoroughly researched options for medication, medical equipment & medical supplies – check it out.

Federal Medication Take-Back

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), State Attorneys General and Local Law Enforcement collaborate to offer National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days for prescription and Over-The-Counter (OTC) medications/medicines/drugs. These twice yearly (April & October) collections accept solid dosage and some liquid medications, including controlled substance medications (e.g. opioids) for anonymous and safe disposal.  The National Take-Back Initiative goals are to remove potentially harmful unused or unwanted medications from households to prevent accidental ingestion, overdose and addiction.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days
National Take-Back Initiative
Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know (FDA)

Hawai‘i Medication Drop-Box Program (State/County Take-Back)

The State of Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General, Department of Health and the County Police Departments with funding from the Federal government have implemented the Hawai‘i Medication Drop-Box Program to supplement the National Take-Back Initiative.  This program offers year-round convenient, safe and environmentally-friendly drop boxes for household medications at each of the eight County of Hawai‘i District Police Stations.  Look for the big green box inside these police stations.

County of Hawai‘i Locations:

      • Hilo Police Station at 349 Kapi‘olani Street
      • Honoka‘a Police Station at 45-3400 Mamane Street
      • Kapa‘au Police Station at 54-3900 Akoni Pule Highway
      • Kona (Kealakehe) Police Station at 74-611 Hale Māka‘i Place, Kailua-Kona
      • Laupāhoehoe – North Hilo Police Station at Puualaea Homestead Road
      • Na‘alehu Police Station at 95-5355 Mamalohoa Highway
      • Pāhoa – Puna Police Station at 15-2615 Kea‘au-Pahoa Highway
      • Waimea Police Station at 67-5185 Kamamalu Street

Syringes/needles/sharps, inhalers, thermometers or infectious waste not accepted. No businesses allowed.
For more information call the Hawai‘i Police Department non-emergency line at 935-3311.

CVS Longs Pharmacy Safer Communities Medication/Drug In-Store Drop-Off Kiosk

CVS Longs Pharmacy offers free in-store safe secure medication disposal kiosks at select store locations.  CVS has also donated secure safe medication disposal kiosks to local law enforcement agencies to reduce the risk of misuse, abuse or diversion as part of their overall safe medication disposal program.  Follow instructions on kiosk.  Call store for more information.

Accepted:

      • Prescription Medications (Scheduled II through V Controlled and Non-Controlled)
      • Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medications
      • Liquid Medication Bottles (less than 4 oz. in zip closed plastic bag)
      • In original packaging, if possible.

Not Accepted: 

      • Illegal (Schedule I) Drugs
      • Needles, syringes or sharps containers
      • Medical devices, batteries
      • Aerosol cans, inhalers
      • Chemicals
      • Mercury (Hg)-containing devices (e.g. thermometers)
      • Commercial or agency generators

CVS Longs locations with in-store safe medication disposal kiosks:

      • Hilo Longs, 555 Kīlauea Ave., phone (808) 935-9075
      • Kea‘au Longs, 16-529 Kea‘au-Pahoa Rd., phone (808) 982-8600
      • Pāhoa Longs, 15-1454 Kahakai Blvd., phone (808) 965-3144
      • Kailua-Kona Longs, 75-5595 Palani Rd., phone (808) 329-1632
      • Waimea Longs, 65-1271 Kawaihae Rd., phone (808) 885-4418

Safeway Pharmacy Medication/Drug In-Store Drop-Off Kiosk

TBA

County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management Solid Waste Division

Prescription drugs (non-controlled substances, no sharps or needles) can be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events that happen regularly in Kona, Hilo, Waimea & Pāhoa.  Please visit the Household Hazardous Waste page for more information on what is acceptable and when they occur.  There are also various national programs for the take-back of prescription medications see above opportunities.

For additional information, the following resources have been provided.

Syringes/Sharps/Needles

For more information and updated phone numbers visit Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center website

Disposal of Medical Sharps by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Brochure on Recommended Needle Disposal Options for Self-Injectors

Safe Needle Disposal – Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal (1-800-643-1643)

Phonebooks /  Phone directories

Hawaiian Telcom Phonebook School Recycling Challenge (a.k.a. Berry’s Think Yellow, Go Green)

Paradise Yellow Pages (Yellowbook):

      • Great American Self Storage
        74-5499 Loloku St.
        Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
        Everyday 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
      • Town & Country Moving & Storage
        888 Kalanianaole Ave Ste #B
        Hilo, HI 96720
        Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
        (808) 969-1911 – Call first

Not interested in receiving a phone directory, you can opt out of phone directory delivery easily.

The County of Hawai‘i Recycling Section is joining forces with the Product Stewardship Institute to raise awareness about this important environmental issue and to encourage people to opt out of unnecessary phone book deliveries. Opting out is free, fast, and easy—and it makes a huge impact!

By opting out of receiving a phone book, you can quickly reduce your environmental footprint, save taxpayer funds and stop wasteful distribution.

How Do I Opt Out of my Phone Book(s)?

1. Visit yellowpagesoptout.com
2. Enter your zip code and create an account
3. After completing registration, click “opt out of or order directories”
4. Choose the “opt out of all” option or choose which directories you want to stop being delivered to you, then “save changes” and hit CONFIRM

It’s free, easy, and takes just 3 minutes!

Phone Directory Opt-Out Today

Expanded Polystyrene (foamy #6 resin code plastic a.k.a. Styrofoam®)

No current recycling options.  Please dispose with your regular rubbish.

Intact Bubble-wrap & Foam peanuts drop-offs:

      • Copy Post Plus
        77-6425 Kuakini Hwy Ste C2, Kailua-Kona
        (808) 331-1943
      • Kailua Candy Company
        73-5612 Kauhola St, Kailua-Kona
        (808) 329-2522
      • Mailboxes
        75-1027 Henry St, Kailua-Kona
        (808) 329-0038
      •  Paradise Business Center
        15-2662 Pahoa Village Rd, Pahoa
        (808) 965-1111
      • UPS Store
        75-5660 Kopiko St, Kailua-Kona
        (808) 331-2285
      •  Waipio Valley Artworks
        48-5416 Kukuihaele Rd, Honoka`a
        (808) 775-0958

PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR) PANELS

Hilo:
Mr. K’s Recycle & Redemption
815 Kino‘ole St. (Hilo)
Sunday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
73-5631 Kauhola St. (Kona)
On 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday of every month, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
e-Stewards and R2 certified recycling
Call (808) 969-1222 for more information.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS:

To properly dispose/recycle fire extinguishers please take them to the following locations:

Company Location Contact # Fees/Restrictions
Big Island Scrap Metal Shipman Industrial Park, Kea‘au (808) 854-4530 (Please call first) None
County of Hawai‘i
Solid Waste Division		 Hilo & Kona Transfer Stations’
Scrap Metal Bin		 Must be EMPTY! no charge; commercial extinguishers not accepted by law
Hilo Fire Extinguisher Kea‘au (808) 966-7356 Free, only if sold by them
National Fire Protection Hilo

Kona

 call Kona office

(808) 325-7891

 $18.00/unit

or $10.00/unit if sold by them
Guardian Fire Waimea 889-0608 $8.00/unit, only if sold by them

Note: The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events will not accept fire extinguishers.

SMOKE DETECTORS

The US Environmental Protection Agency & County of Hawai‘i both recommend that you return your no longer usable smoke detector to the manufacturer.  The address of the manufacturer is usually listed in the product warranty or user’s manual.  If the smoke detector has an alkaline or lithium ion battery, please remove it and recycle the battery appropriately.

The U.S. Postal Service has instructions on how to return your smoke detector to the manufacturer for proper disposal, check their website: USPS Dispose of Smoke Detectors Properly website.  It also contains a listing of smoke detector manufacturers and their addresses.

The County of Hawai‘i’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events and the County of Hawai‘i landfills and transfer stations are prohibited from accepting ionization-type smoke detectors (look for “ionization” or “americium 241” on the detector to determine if it is an ionization type detector).  The County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events now accept photoelectric type only smoke detectors (must clearly state “photoelectric” type only) from a household only.

Businesses, agencies, non-profits and farms must all contract with a hazardous materials management company or the smoke detector manufacturers to dispose of their smoke detectors.

PLASTIC FISHING LINE

West Hawai‘i Fishing Line Recycling Program to keep abandoned plastic monofilament or braided fishing line from entangling sea life, learn more by visiting their website.  Collection bins located at – Kapa‘a Beach Park, Māhukona Beach Park, Kawaihae Harbor North/South, Spencer Beach Park at Ohai‘ula, Makeahua Gulch, Pua Ka ‘Ilima Surf Park, Puakō Boat Ramp, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park and Keauhou Bay.  More information on exact locations and program info at https://bit.ly/4aNHaEF

UNWANTED FIREARMS AMMUNITION

Please contact County of Hawai‘i Police Department at (808) 935-3311.  Describe exactly what types, quantities and the reason for disposal of the unwanted ammunition to the police dispatch person.  An officer will follow-up and determine whether they will handle the disposal/destruction of your ammunition.

UNWANTED FIREWORKS

Anyone interested in disposing of firework(s) should call Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes of the Fire Prevention Branch at 808-928-3105 for further information regarding the pick-up and drop-off locations.  Please DO NOT drop off firework(s) at local fire stations.

TOYS

Mattel PlayBack – Toy takeback program “is designed to recover and reuse materials from old Mattel toys for future Mattel products.