Welcome!
Solid waste management in the Pacific islands presents unique and growing challenges and opportunities for these small, geographically isolated communities.
The Solid Waste Association of North America Pacific Basin Chapter provides a regional network for collaboration among solid waste management stakeholders in the United States Pacific Islands and Freely Associated States, including:
State and Territories: Hawaii, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Norther Mariana Islands and Guam
Freely Associated States: Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau
The Pacific Basin Chapter is an affiliated chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America.
Photo: Aerial photo of solid waste management facility on Oahu, Hawaii
Upcoming Presentations:
Presentations by stakeholders groups or individuals on specific or more technical topics of solid waste management in the Pacific.
To attend, select the weblink or copy, paste the weblink to your web browser.
(There are no events upcoming yet. Please check later. Thank you.)
Current & Upcoming Events
New Oahu Landfill Siting Process is Underway
The City & County of Honolulu is conducting a siting process for a new sanitary landfill on O‘ahu. More information and opportunities for public participation are available at www.honolulu.gov/opala/newlandfill.
Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) Training, Kapolei, HI - November 1-3, 2022
The updated SWANA MOLO training course will be offered as a hybrid in-person/virtual 3-day course on Oahu, Hawaii, starting on November 1, 2022. The cost is $1,000 for current SWANA members and $1,100 for non-members. Certification for those seeking it is available via the SWANA online exam process for an additional fee. Additional information on the course is available at https://swana.org/training-certification/find-a-course/training-course/manager-of-landfill-operations-(molo).
Please contact the Pacific Basin Chapter at swanapbc@gmail.com for more information or to start the course registration process.
Past Events
Sustainability. Operations. Actions. Resources (SOAR)
When: 2022 March 21–24
Kansas City Convention Center
Kansas City, MO.
For the first time, SWANA’s new premier technical spring conference brought together industry professionals from all disciplines of the resource management community. Professionals in Collection & Transfer, Landfill Gas & Biogas, Landfill Management, Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery, and Sustainable Materials Management at this enhanced and productive technical summit spent a few days diving deep into technical education, developing new business connections at networking events and joining game-changing conversations with experts in North America.
Training: Integrated Solid Waste Management
When: 2021 October/November
SWANA’s updated Managing Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems training addresses the many and varied duties of the solid waste system manager. This course gives the participants an excellent grounding in the various issues involved in the management of solid waste systems including: • Planning, Regulatory Considerations and Public Education • Facility Basics (landfills, transfer stations, waste-to-energy facilities) • Collection Systems • Recycling and Reuse program • Management of hard-to-handle wastes • Composting • Incorporating Emerging Concepts (product stewardship, zero waste, conversion technologies, greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy options) into existing systems • Funding Options, Budgeting and Contracting and Procurement • Health and Safety • Personnel Management
Malama Maui Nui presents "Art of Trash"
When: 2021 April 3-30
Every year Malama Maui Nui kicks off their annual Art of Trash exhibition with a Trashion Show. This year, they filmed it! You can find it on their website or on their Youtube channel.
Training Event: Zero Waste Principles & Practices
When: 2021 April
Professionals who take this new Zero Waste Principles & Practices certification course will have the ability to integrate their understanding of Zero Waste with their existing waste management systems, practices, and policies to move local systems toward “locally-defined” Zero Waste goals. The Zero Waste Principles & Practices course encompasses a broad overview of Zero Waste principles and practices in 10 modules covering public policy, programs, technology, and measurement.
Virtual SWANA Safety Summit
When: 2021 February 25, 12:00 pm - 5:30 pm EST
This half-day, virtual event will share industry data on injuries and fatalities and explore how it can help improve collection and post-collection safety. Industry leaders will also discuss the pandemic response and what lessons can be applied.
Virtual WasteCon: Embracing Disruption
When: 2021 January 26-28
SWANA’s executive leadership summit for the solid waste and recycling industries, WASTECON’s high value content is designed to advance executive leadership effectiveness and inspire your teams. WASTECON will be transformed into a virtual conference with live events each day from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST, in addition to on-demand sessions available throughout the conference.