Hawaiʻi County Completes $2.57M Renovation at Laupāhoehoe Transfer Station, Reopens March 6

Hawaiʻi County completed a $2.57 million renovation of the Laupāhoehoe Recycling & Transfer Station at 35-2061 Old Māmalahoa Highway, and the facility is scheduled to reopen to the public on Friday, March 6, 2026, following a closure that began April 21, 2025. The work was intended to address long-standing structural and safety issues while improving the user experience for Laupāhoehoe residents and Ha‘ikū-side customers.

The project scope included installation of a new roof canopy and roof cover over the drop-off area, repaving and resurfacing of the existing drop-off area, construction of a new rubbish chute and renovation of the existing chute, and replacement of a retaining wall. Contractors also installed a new concrete swale and new concrete trailer pad, added a leachate inlet and holding tank, repaired an eroded slope, and raised the grade of the trailer area as part of the overall improvements.

The station’s last day of operation before construction was April 20, 2025, after which the County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management listed the site as closed starting April 21, 2025 for up to ten months. County calendar entries showed an initial event window of April 21, 2025 through May 31, 2025, while public notices and procurement documents described an approximately ten-month construction period that aligns with the March 6, 2026 reopening date.

The construction contract was awarded to Isemoto Contracting. “The construction contract, awarded to Isemoto Contracting for $2.57 million, addresses structural and safety concerns and improvements to user experience,” according to the procurement summary and county notices. Bid documents and solicitation language emphasized renovating the existing transfer station in accordance with plans and specifications, including the new roof canopy, retaining wall, leachate system, and resurfacing of the drop-off area.

During the closure, county notices directed residents to the Honomū Transfer Station at 28-1844 Old Māmalahoa Highway, which was opened on additional days to accommodate users from the Laupāhoehoe service area. The Department of Environmental Management’s project scheduling also appeared alongside other Solid Waste Division events in March 2026, including household hazardous waste collection days in Waimea and Pāhoa and an Environmental Management Commission meeting in Hilo.

Permitting and land records filed for the project show the transfer station sits on State of Hawaii land and occupies TMK (3) 3-5-004:084, a 1.016-acre parcel leased by the County under Executive Order No. 2628 CSF 16,648, plus about 4,100 square feet of adjacent TMK (3) 3-5-004:059. An Exemption Notice dated 5/31/2024 from Ramzi I. Mansour, Director of the County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management, listed applicable reviews and permits including HRS Chapter 6E, HRS Chapter 195D, and a grading permit.

The reopening on March 6 will restore local access to the renovated drop-off and recycling services at 35-2061 Old Māmalahoa Highway; residents with questions about hours or accepted materials can contact the County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management, Solid Waste Division & Recycling Section at 345 Kekuanaoa St., Suite 40, Hilo.