Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, December 8, 2019

The late Shingo Honda during his show called Transience at East Hawaiʻi  Cultural Center. Photo from East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center

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THE PASSION KILLING BY AN EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT WOMAN who fatally stabbed a woman she found with her boyfriend at Whittington Beach Park in April, netted a sentence of eight years in prison. Judge Melvin Fujino sentenced 20-year old Kaleianuenue Borero-Kaluna, of Nāʻālehu,  as a youthful offender. The father of her unborn child at the time of the killing was 36.
     Public defender Ann Datta negotiated a deal with prosecutors for Kaluna to plead no contest to manslaughter, and asked for probation with credit for 225 days in custody. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Frye asked for 20 years. The mother of victim asked for life in prison, which the judge said was impossible for a manslaughter conviction.
     A story in today's Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald quoted Kaluna's testimony before sentencing:
     "I have dealt with my fair share of trials and tribulations and I continue to deal with them daily. This one, by far, is the worst. I'm so speechless of my actions, I wish I could turn back time and do everything differently; unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. I've grown a lot as a person and learned about myself as well. My family raised me better than this and it's sad to say I let them down but more importantly I let myself down.
     "And, honestly, I am so truly sorry to the family and their loss. I regret everyday the poor decision that led me up to this predicament."
     She also said, "I understand there are consequences to my actions and I am ready to face them."

A POTENTIAL SOLUTION to the large amount of plastic waste in Hawaiʻi came to the Hawaiʻi County Environmental Management Commission from Megan Lamson of Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund. On Nov. 27, she gave the address, saying over 50,000 pounds of plastics washed up on Hawaiʻi Island shores this year, with much of it landing on Kamilo Beach in Kaʻū. In addition, many more tons of plastic waste are generated by on-island consumers throwing away plastic containers.

     Lamson introduced ByBlock - plastic waste directly processed into building material. The manufacturer is ByFusion, byfusion.com, which states that its "Blocker" system "turns 100 percent of plastic waste into ByBlock – an advanced, cost-effective building material." The process is "eco-friendly," and "uses steam and compression" to directly convert any plastic waste into ByBlocks, with "no added chemicals. No fillers. No waste." There is no sorting, no cleaning, and no pre-processing needed, according to ByFusion.

     Lamson said the ByBlock process avoids plastic melting and burning that would create more pollution.

     The blocks each weigh about 22 lbs. (10 kg) and are made for use in new construction and to "replace concrete bricks and blocks." Using the upcycled plastic for building could cut carbon emissions and lower the cost of building materials, said Lamson and a commission member.

A ByBlock, partially made from plastics waste from Hawaiʻi.  Photo from Big Island Video News

     A marine biologist, Lamson leads the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund program to clean shorelines. In the last decade, volunteers carried away more than 282 tons, most of it plastic, including derelict fishing nets.
     She presented the commission a sample of a ByBlock, partly made from plastics waste from Hawaiʻi. The shape is reminiscent of an oversized, two-stud Lego. Lamson said the blocks need to be sealed to avoid breaking down from "too much exposure to UV."

     Lamson said that plastics have been mass produced – and consumed – since the '50s. "Even if we cut it off, and move forward with single-use plastic phase-out (and) bans statewide, we're still going to have an awful lot of waste. We're still gonna have tons and tons washing up along our shorelines."

     She contended that make building blocks out of plastics waste is "a win/win, because we have a disposal issue. Right now, we are throwing the vast amounts of our mixed plastic waste away (except derelict fishing nets that are burned for electricity.) They're just going in the landfill." She said ByFusion is interested in having "island-scale facilities" in Hawaiʻi.

Clyde Silva, right, with his Holy Rosary Church choir. Photos by Julia Neal

     Lamson said the most important way to reduce plastic waste is to cut down on its use. "Ideally, if this business model works, for the ByFusion company or our island, they'll be out of a job in several decades" as use of plastics declines.

     Lamson said she has no financial stake in the ByFusion company. In July, she flew to Kauaʻi for the unveiling and blessing of the first ever permanent building made of ByBlocks. She said some of the blocks will be used on Maui in a project soon.

     See her presentation at bigislandvideonews.com/2019/12/07/video-a-potential-solution-to-plastic-problem-presented/.