Mulching to add costs in fighting little fire ants
State agriculture officials announced this week that an infestation zone in Mililani Mauka was free of little fire ants in its latest spot survey. Crews have completed the fifth of eight planned pesticide treatments.
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.
