Cleaning up the vast quantity of highly flammable beads littering the reefs and shoreline in Wai'anae and Ma'ili must happen — and soon. That responsibility falls squarely with the military.

The Army already acknowledged that the beads are clearly military in origin and probably have been in the ocean for years. Army officials believe they are highly flammable pellets used in rockets and artillery, and the public was urged to steer clear of them.

That's easier said than done. Our beaches are enjoyed by residents and visitors, including children. The danger of children finding the beads — as well as the potential for contamination of the food supply, should the beads leach into the ocean or be consumed by fish — brings a higher level of urgency to the clean-up effort.

In the past, the Army had said that the munitions did not pose an immediate danger to the public, and that after months of research they had concluded the munitions should not be retrieved.

Thankfully, it looks like there's change afoot.

Army officials said yesterday that they understood the buck stops at their door, adding that they would work on cleaning up the beads.

"We do accept responsibility for the pellet grains on the beaches and in the ocean as an overall military cleanup issue. We are working diligently with other agencies to determine what actions need to be taken next," said Troy Griffin, director of public affairs for U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i, which oversees Army installations on the island.

The Army will work with the Navy on assembling a dive team to get a closer look at the pellets, and with the Army's Technical Center for Explosives Safety to determine the precise source of the debris.

That's a good start. For the sake of public safety and the environment in general, this must not fester any longer.