Question: How do we take care of this problem? One neighbor is putting his rubbish bins on curbside all days of the year (green, blue and gray). What city ordinance covers this? To which city and county agency do I report it?
Answer: Collection and disposal of garbage on Oahu is covered in Chapter 9 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, which you can read at 808ne.ws/garbrule.
Details about when and where to place containers at the curb are spelled out in Sec. 9-1.4 (b) and (c), which state that automated collection carts should be set out the evening before pickup and promptly returned to the owner’s property after collection. However, there is a hardship exemption, at the discretion of the department’s director, for old or disabled people who are unable to move their carts back and forth.
If your neighbor does not hold such an exemption, which must be specifically authorized, you may report the infraction to the nearest collection yard, according to the city’s Department of Environmental Services (see more on its website, opala.org).
You also may call the city’s Refuse Division with questions or concerns about cart storage. Call 768-3200 and press 3 after the recorded message begins; doing so will transfer you to the Refuse Inspection section, said Markus Owens, the department’s spokesman.
You didn’t mention whether you had spoken to your neighbor. If you haven’t, a friendly conversation might be a good place to start. Perhaps they can’t easily move the carts themselves and would accept help from you or others with the task.
Q: Can you post the name and address of the individual who accepts Christmas cards? I cut out the front of each card and sent her some last year, for her church to use in the service project.
A: Yes. Send your card fronts to Marilyn Gilbert at 247 Akiohala St., Kailua, HI 96734. Email her at gil.aloha@hawaiiantel.net if you have questions.
Kokua Line wrote about Gilbert and Operation Christmas Child on Nov. 15. We’ve since heard from numerous readers asking us to repeat the address.
Q: Is there free parking for the parade?
A: Yes, the city says free public parking will be available at the Frank F. Fasi Municipal lot. Enter from the left lane of Beretania Street, just past Alapai Street. The Electric Light Parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Christmas tree lighting at Honolulu Hale.
Q: Can a person get rat lungworm disease more than once?
A: Yes. Humans can become infected if they ingest the parasitic nematode (roundworm) that causes the disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord. Being infected confers no future immunity, according to the state Department of Health.
Q: Regarding mongooses (808ne.ws/1120kline), I know how they got here, but what about the rats?
A: “The Polynesian rats (sometimes called the Pacific rat) first arrived with Polynesians perhaps 900 years ago. The Roof rat, Norway rat, and house mouse arrived after Western contact in the late 1700s, and mongooses were introduced in 1883,” according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Auwe
Auwe to dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs. It’s gross and irresponsible for people to own dogs and then subject others to messes on the sidewalk and other public property. If you have a dog, carry around the little bags to pick up after it. — A reader
Mahalo
I am thankful to the Kaneohe-area woman who gave me one of her Foodland coupons before Thanksgiving. She saw that I was looking for the smallest turkey to buy, and offered me a coupon for a free turkey! It jump-started my holiday spirit, as the kids are away for college. — With appreciation, Jan
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
