The county is going to be taking its time making major changes to our solid waste system. We’re happy public works is approaching this in a methodical manner, and we hope that community input will be an integral part of developing a plan.

In the Nov. 8 election, voters rejected a proposal to establish a parcel fee to help fund the financially troubled county solid waste utility. A vote against the fee was essentially a “yes” vote for “Plan B,” which would end the county’s operation of solid waste facilities on all three major islands. The system would move to residential pickup of garbage and recycle and begin accepting bids for management of the transfer stations.

How we manage our solid waste will drastically change by August 2012. Over the next six-plus months, the council will update its Solid and Hazardous Waste Plan. Part of the planning process involves deciding how residents will dispose of medical wastes, large appliances, car batteries, motor oil, solvents, surplus pesticides and paint. The county must also decide how recycling will be handled, and which specific services will be required of the county’s certified waste hauler.

The voters spoke by rejecting the parcel fee (68.37 percent vs. 31.63 percent) but that’s only half the story. We hope the county holds several public meeting as this progresses. We want all of the communities to weigh in on how they want the management of solid waste to evolve during this very important time.