The settlement calls for the company, Waste Management of Hawaii, to spend more than $1 million on supplemental environmental projects and pay a $520,000 penalty.

"On behalf of the City and County of Honolulu, I would like to recognize Waste Management for meeting its obligation by assuming all financial responsibility from day one," Mayor Mufi Hannemann said. "It is critical that everyone is aware that no taxpayer monies will be used to pay for this settlement."

The supplemental projects will include a community drop-off center at the landfill for residents to deposit their solid waste and recyclables, and other projects to be selected by the Department of Health or other state agencies.

The Health Department cited the landfill for 18 types of violations in January 2006, and all but one have been corrected.

"We have always felt the amount of the fines levied by the Department of Health were excessive, but in the interest of the City and County of Honolulu and all the residents we serve, we believe it was best to put this issue behind us," said Russell Nanod, Community Affairs Manager for Waste Management of Hawaii.

"Of the 18 violations that were cited by the department, nearly all were corrected in 2005," he said. "Two outstanding issues required governmental approvals of which one was recently received. We know that protecting the environment is a priority for the Hannemann administration and Waste Management's aggressive pursuit of operational changes proves that."