Illegal dump to be cleared
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
HAU'ULA — A coalition of professional recyclers will clear and recycle tons of material today from an illegal dump site on Puhuli Street, highlighting efforts by Sen. Melodie Aduja to involve stakeholders and work toward a solution to O'ahu's widespread problem with illegal dumping.
The recyclers coalition, made up of six entities, estimated they would remove eight to 10 truckloads of metal, wood, green waste and construction material at the cleanup project. They're doing the work for free but estimated it would cost $20,000 to have a private contractor do the work.
The purpose of the project is to let people know that there are experts in the community that can address these dump sites, said James Banigan, general manager of Hawaii Metal Recycling Inc., a member of the coalition.
"We're trying to make people aware it's a problem we have to deal with," Banigan said. "Hawai'i is a beautiful place. We want to make sure we don't turn the island into a dump, which is slowly and surely happening."
The site was brought to Aduja's attention recently by Carroll Cox, president of EnviroWatch Inc., a nonprofit environmental watchdog group. Aduja, D-23rd (Kane'ohe, Kahuku), is co-chair of the interim Senate Waste Management Committee that expects to present a package of bills in the next Legislature to address solid waste issues. She has asked the coalition for input into reducing illegal dump sites.
Among her proposals, Aduja hopes to reduce the liability of private recyclers to get material from private property, offer them tax incentives and give them a tipping-fee exemption.
The Puhuli Street land belongs to a private landowner who recently hired a contractor to clean the site, but he wasn't able to do much more than stack up the debris, separating materials into different piles because it was too expensive to take it to the dump.
Aduja said she expects her legislative package to address this kind of dumping, some of which appears to be by commercial haulers.
"Illegal dump sites generally have a lot of construction debris waste, so you know that's commercial haulers," she said. "Residents, they throw trash. We're not dealing with trash. We're dealing with solid waste and hazardous waste."
Banigan suggested the state create a fund that would be used to clean up dump sites, much like the oil spill fund that is available for quick response when oil is released into the environment.
Other coalition members are Alan Gottlieb of Hawaiian Earth Products Ltd., Michael Leary of Island Demo Inc., James Nutter of Island Recycling Inc., Robert Singlehurst and Scott Komatsu of Grace Pacific and Stephen Swift of Resource Recovery Ltd.
The coalition formed last October to address illegal dumping and the effect it was having on these businesses, Banigan said.
The group also sought more legislation to enforce laws concerning illegal dumping and a requirement that the state buy recycled goods.
"There are laws on the book that say the state should buy recycled product," he said. "That would help the businesses here grow."
Banigan admitted their efforts didn't produce anything, but with Aduja's help they will try again next session.
Aduja said another goal of the coalition is to promote incentives to recycle.
"Hawai'i lacks a viable market for recycled material," Aduja said. "That's where procurement code and greater requirement of government entities will come into play."
Non-permitted landfills and roadside dumping also are of great concern as they contaminate the air, ground and water; pose a physical hazard to children that play there; cause ecological damage; lower property value; affect the visitor industry and affect community pride, she said.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
