City partners with Costco for recycling project

The City’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) is partnering with Costco Hawaii to educate its customers about recycling while shopping. Specially designed in-store signage will make it easier to identify recyclable products.

ENV and Costco surveyed all of the products on its shelves, identified blue cart recyclable products such as plastics, corrugated cardboard, aluminum cans and glass containers. Product signs were amended to include blue cart instructions and integrate a recycling theme throughout the store.

“This innovative recycling education project is a first for Costco worldwide and the City welcomes the opportunity to teach more people about recycling,” Mayor Peter Carlisle said. “With thousands of daily shoppers, Costco’s efforts will have a tremendous impact on what ends up in the blue carts. Our waste is a resource for new products and energy, along with mulch and compost.”

All four Costco stores on Oahu are participating – Waipio, Kapolei, Iwilei and Hawaii Kai. Almost 1,000 products in Costco were identified as blue cart recyclables.

The new pilot recycling education program launches April 1. The program will be evaluated at the end of one year and may become a permanent component of Costco’s customer service.

The Recycling and Disposal Guide for Oahu and The Opala IQ Book are available at all Costco locations while supplies last. For more information, go to opala.org.