More than 24 tons of computer parts believed to contain hazardous waste will likely remain buried at the city's Waimanalo Gulch landfill because their exact location is not known.

The state Health Department yesterday fined Kapolei recycler Lenox Metals $30,500 for allegedly dumping thousands of obsolete or broken computer monitors at the site illegally in 2005.

The alleged dumping occurred even though the company represented itself as a firm that would properly recycle the equipment, health officials said.

Lenox also allegedly failed to comply with record-keeping requirements.

Several state agencies and public schools were among clients that paid the company to accept the monitors.

The company did not immediately return calls yesterday. Health officials said Lenox had requested a hearing at which the fine can be contested.

The Department of Education will review how much money schools paid to have old or faulty computer equipment recycled by the company, and may seek refunds, spokesman Greg Knudsen said.

Schools pay to have such material recycled because they are conscious of the need to dispose of it correctly, he said.

"They've done the right thing by contracting for their removal," Knudsen said of the monitors. "If they weren't disposed of properly, then the company misrepresented itself to the schools."

The department will re-examine the list of recyclers it provides to schools, he said.

"We will definitely review that and make sure these companies are legitimate," he said.

Computer monitors typically contain lead, mercury and other hazardous materials that the landfill is not permitted to accept.

State hazardous-waste supervisor Grace Simmons said there were no immediate plans to retrieve the monitors.

The state learned of the problem after a complaint was filed approximately two years after the monitors were allegedly dumped, and it does not appear that the hazardous material can now be located, she said.

"It might be too late, unless it was segregated and placed in a specific cell" at the landfill, Simmons said.

A landfill spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Lenox Metals' Web site describes the company as "a multi-disciplinary metal recycling firm located on O'ahu on 2.0 acres in Campbell Industrial Park."

"The responsible collection and conscientious reclamation of waste are important issues to Hawai'i's island economy and its fragile environment," the company said on its site. "Lenox Metals, LLC has provided that extra margin of protection to the environment and a safe and efficient means of reducing commercial, industrial and residential waste in Hawai'i for the past 16 years."

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com.