“Include the Food”: GROW Program Launches Tomorrow, April 1. City reminds residents to add food scraps to green waste as pilot begins

HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) is reminding residents that the G.R.O.W. (Green Recycling Organic Waste) pilot program begins tomorrow, April 1, 2026.

With the message “include the food,” the program encourages residents to place food scraps into their green waste carts helping to reduce waste sent to Oʻahu’s landfill and support a more sustainable, circular system across the island.

The pilot program includes select households in:
Kailua, Hawaiʻi Kai, Mililani, Nānākuli, Waipahu, and Kalihi

Residents in Kailua and Mililani will be the first to actively participate as the program rolls out with pickup of their green compost carts happening on April 1.

What Residents Need to Know

Starting April 1:
• Residents may place food scraps directly into their green waste cart
• Collection schedules remain unchanged

ACCEPTED MATERIALS
     • Fruits and vegetables
     • Meat, fish, and bones
     • Bread, rice, and pasta
     • Coffee grounds and filters
     • Eggs and eggshells

DO NOT INCLUDE
     • Plastic bags or any plastics
     • Packaging or wrappers
     • Glass or metal
     • Liquids or oils
     • Household trash or hazardous waste

No plastic of any kind, including “compostable” or “biodegradable” bags, as they contaminate the composting process.

Why It Matters
The G.R.O.W. program helps:
     • Extend the life of Oʻahu’s landfill
     • Reduce environmental impact
     • Turn food and green waste into usable compost

“The success of this program starts with each household,” said ENV Director Roger Babcock. “When residents include the food and keep plastics out, they’re helping create a cleaner, 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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