HILO >> Officials on Hawaii’s Big Island are looking at an expected additional cost of $600,000 in preventing the spread of invasive little fire ants in mulching operations.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee on Tuesday unanimously advanced the county administration’s request to solicit up to $2.4 million in contracts annually.
The action applies to operations that would turn green waste into mulch at some county landfills.
The county is planning a different course from the $1.8 million current contract, which expires Dec. 31.
Under the new approach, the county plans to test a method to kill little fire ants by creating rows of green waste and turning them as the organic matter breaks down. That would create heat necessary to kill the ants.