A Pearl City landscaping company has agreed to remove tree trimmings it illegally dumped along the H-2 Freeway near the Kipapa Gulch bridge, according to the state Department of Transportation.

DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa confirmed yesterday that Imua Landscaping Co., which was hired to cut and remove albizzia trees along the highway, admitted it disposed of tree stumps and branches at a site between Mililani and Waipi'o and will begin cleaning it up this week.

Imua told DOT officials the improper disposal of trimmings was due "to a misunderstanding," although what the misunderstanding was is unclear, because the contract said Imua was responsible for mulching the trimmings for recycling or taking them to the landfill, Ishikawa said.

"(DOT) made it clear they have to clean it up," Ishikawa said. The state has not yet determined if the company will be fined, added Ishikawa.

Carroll Cox, of EnviroWatch Inc., brought the dumping issue to the public's attention last week. The dumping posed potential fire, flooding and other environmental dangers, he said.

An inspection of the site yesterday revealed other trimmings that were not from the albizzia job that Imua did, Ishikawa said. Imua, however, has agreed to remove all the trimmings.

Officials were able to identify the albizzia trees cut by Imua because they were marked with orange spray paint, Ishikawa said.

State officials recently were criticized by The Outdoor Circle and others for ordering 50 non-native trees along the freeway cut down after determining some of the trees were damaged and a safety hazard to motorists. The state later agreed to replace them with monkeypod, crepe myrtle and native kou trees.