New law fines early disposers of bulky trash

The city will soon have the authority to fine people up to $250 if they set out bulky trash items too early.

Bill 78, signed into law yesterday by acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell, will take effect Jan. 1, at which point the city Department of Environmental Serv-ices can begin the rule-making proc-ess, which includes public hearings.

That process is expected to take about six months.

The bill, approved by the City Council this month, states that property owners may not place bulky trash -- such as furniture, mattresses, bed frames and appliances -- on the sidewalk until the evening before a scheduled monthly pickup as listed on the website opala.org.

Bill 78 allows the city to assess fines of $250 per day for each violation. Caldwell emphasized that city inspectors will use appropriate discretion to avoid citing innocent owners of property where others have dumped bulky items without the property owner's knowledge or permission.

"Our goal is to discourage this practice and the unsightly and dangerous problems it creates, by going after those habitual abusers and not innocent property owners," Caldwell said.

The city has hired three additional inspectors in the Environmental Services Department to study bulky trash disposal and to help determine who is at fault for leaving the items out early.

The city picks up bulky trash from Oahu households once a month, including at apartments and condominiums that do not get city refuse pickups for regular trash.