Question: Please advise me what to do about bulky items accumulating on the sidewalk area. This spot was serviced when collections were made monthly, and although appointments are now required, bulky items continue to be dumped there. In this case it is occurring at the corner of Palolo Avenue and Ahinahina Place, although I imagine the situation is not unique to our neighborhood. The website www.opala.org directs that items be placed just before the scheduled pickup, but this is not my refuse and I do not live nearest the pile. The property owners closest to it probably are not dumping, either. How can we have the trash removed, without being held responsible for it or involving the closest property owner, who is not causing a nuisance?
Answer: You are correct that this frustrating situation is not unique. Kokua Line has heard similar complaints from others since the city scrapped its metro-area monthly bulky pickup schedule in favor of a pilot program that requires residents to make an appointment at www.opala.org, the website of the city Department of Environmental Services (ENV).
Markus Owens, a spokesman for the department, said potential solutions include calling the police or ENV, depending on the circumstances, and involve the property owner. Here is his full response:
“The abutting/fronting property is ultimately responsible for all illegally dumped items per the law. The owners of the abutting property where the illegally dumped items sit are ultimately responsible for removing them.
“People living in the metro Honolulu area — Foster Village to Hawaii Kai — must go online and make an appointment to dispose of the bulky waste.
“If a resident witnesses other people illegally dumping items, they should call the police and file a report. Document it with photos, names, license plate numbers, etc.
“If the items were illegally dumped with no witnesses, the resident may call 768-3203 to report the illegally dumped items, so ENV can send out an inspector to investigate.”
The pilot project began June 3. Complaints to the city about illegal dumping haven’t been out of the ordinary since then, he said. “We do receive calls from all over the island, so we schedule our inspectors accordingly. If the calls are in the new pilot area (metro Honolulu), they’ll do more educating at this time, but if the same spots keep coming up, enforcement action and/or fines will incur,” he said.
Under city law a property owner who puts bulky waste at their own curb prematurely can be fined $250 per violation. The fine is higher — $2,500 per violation — for those who leave junk abutting others’ property. As you know, enforcement is difficult when the dumpers are unknown.
Auwe
On Sunday a local moving company came to my neighbor’s house to help her move. While waiting for her to return home to meet, one of the guys exited the truck and walked to the rear. Thinking no one was watching, he came into our yard and stole something. Someone’s security camera caught him. Not much monetary value, but a lot of sentimental value. It was our pet’s burial ceramic marker. Terrible! Hopefully, this brings him a lot of bad luck. Bachi! — F.L.
Mahalo
Mahalo to the city workers picking up trash bags at the Kunia Park and Ride lot June 4 or 5. I pointed out a substantial water leak from a sprinkler head that had gone on for weeks and had saturated a long swath of the parking area. The worker I spoke to said, “I’ll tell someone.” I was grateful and relieved on passing by a few hours later to see the leak stopped and the area dry in the hot weather! Hawaii cannot waste water and taxpayers aren’t wasting money! Good job. — Anita
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.
