Recycling Centers in Pahoa, HI
Find drop-off recycling locations in Pahoa, Hawaii. View hours, addresses, and phone numbers for each facility.
Find recycling drop-off locations in Pahoa, Hawaii. This directory lists 3 facilities serving the Pahoa area, with details on hours and contact information to help you plan your visit.
Recycling in Pahoa: A Local Guide
Pāhoa, in the lower Puna district of Hawaiʻi Island, is served by three distinct recycling facilities — each handling a different slice of the waste stream. Knowing which one to use for a given material avoids a wasted drive on the rural roads of east Hawaiʻi.
The Pāhoa Recycling and Transfer Station at 15-1870 Old Cemetery Road is the area's full-service County facility. It's open for household rubbish every day from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM at no charge for residential self-haulers. The station also runs dedicated recycling windows: corrugated cardboard, brown paper bags, and non-HI-5 glass daily from 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; scrap metal and appliance recycling Monday–Saturday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; and greenwaste on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (residential only). Usable latex paint is accepted here as well. Load limit is one visit per vehicle per day, maximum 3 cubic yards.
For residents in the Kalapana area, the Kalapana Transfer Station on Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road provides a closer option for household rubbish — open Wednesdays and Saturdays 6:00 AM–6:00 PM. Hours were extended in July 2024 from once to twice per week following community feedback. On Saturdays from 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, the station also accepts corrugated cardboard, brown paper bags, and non-HI-5 glass. It does not offer scrap metal, appliance, greenwaste, or e-waste drop-off — bring those to the Pāhoa station instead. Both County stations are free for residential use and closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The third facility is entirely different: Business Services Hawai'i HI-5 Redemption Center at 15-2856 Pāhoa Village Road (across from the post office) pays cash for eligible HI-5 beverage containers — aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, and bi-metal cans, sorted by type. The 5-cent deposit refund applies to containers up to 68 fl oz that carry the HI-5 mark. Open daily 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. This is not a general recycling or rubbish drop-off site. For recycling elsewhere on the Big Island, explore the Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and Hawaiʻi state recycling directory.
All Recycling Centers in Pahoa
Recycling Centers in Nearby Cities
Frequently Asked Questions — Recycling in Pahoa
Where can I drop off scrap metal or old appliances near Pāhoa, HI?
The Pāhoa Recycling and Transfer Station at 15-1870 Old Cemetery Road accepts scrap metal and appliances Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at no charge. The Kalapana Transfer Station does not offer this service.
How do I get a cash refund for my HI-5 bottles and cans in Pāhoa?
Take sorted aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal containers to Business Services Hawai'i at 15-2856 Pāhoa Village Road. They're open daily 8:00 AM–3:30 PM and pay 5 cents per eligible container. Containers must be empty and sorted by material type.
Is the Kalapana Transfer Station open more than once a week?
Yes — as of July 2024 the Kalapana Transfer Station is open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 6:00 AM–6:00 PM. Previously it was open only once per week. Recycling (cardboard and glass) is available Saturday only, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Can I bring commercial or farm waste to the Pāhoa or Kalapana transfer stations?
No. Both County facilities accept residential self-haul only. Commercial, government agency, and farm waste are not permitted. The limit is one load per vehicle per day, up to 3 cubic yards.