Mericia Palma Elmore describes the large mound of illegally dumped Christmas trees, large appliances and furniture across the street from her Makakilo condominium as a disaster waiting to happen.
The mother of three has seen her 2-year-old daughter try to climb on one of the abandoned couches. Drivers, she said, have had to veer into another lane when the pile of trash expands into the road. And she has had to walk on the street when the mound blocks the sidewalk.
Palma Elmore, along with other neighbors and city officials, is calling for an end to illegal dumping of trash and bulky items in Makakilo. Residents on Panana Street say truck drivers and people who are not members of the community regularly dump trash on the side of the road near Palehua Villas.
“It really becomes an issue of dumping in someone’s yard,” Palma Elmore, a 13-year Makakilo resident and member of the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board, said at a news conference Tuesday on Panana Street. “I wouldn’t go into your yard to dump my trash. I don’t understand why folks think they can come and dump in our yard.”
Each month, city crews pick up bulky items such as furniture, appliances and mattresses. Residents are allowed to place items at the curb no earlier than the evening before a scheduled collection date. City inspectors respond to complaints and can issue a notice that requires removal of items within seven days. Fines can be as much as $250 per offense.
Residents are also able to drop off bulky items at city refuse centers islandwide.
City Environmental Services Deputy Director Tim Houghton said more pickups are not the answer.
“Getting people to realize that it’s important that they follow the rules is really where we need to go,” he said.
He added that Christmas trees are not bulky items and should either be cut up and thrown into green bins or disposed of at one of the refuse centers.
Other areas of the island, including parts of Mililani and Oahu’s urban core, experience similar dumping problems.
Houghton pointed out that property owners are responsible for bulky items in front of their homes, even if someone else has dumped items there. Residents are urged to call the police as well as the city if they witness illegal dumping.
Bryn James, property manager of Palehua Villas, which was fined $250 this year, said he hopes the city ordinance will be changed to target the dumpers rather than the adjacent property owners. He said Palehua Villas has appealed the fine and that there is camera footage showing residents are not dumping trash near the property. He added that they have been dealing with the problem for almost 20 years.
“We’re just fighting a bear and we don’t know what to do,” James said. “My complaint is that the law reads as a proximity fine. Because we’re the nearest condominium, we get blamed.”
City Councilwoman Kymberly Pine, who represents the area, agreed that the city ordinance needs to be revisited to target illegal dumpers.
“It’s very clear that there is a culture going on out here and throughout the island in certain areas where people think that it’s OK to put your trash on the side of the road,” Pine said. “The people have had enough and they’re calling for this behavior to stop.”
To report illegal dumping in your neighborhood, call 768-3300. For more information on bulky item pickup, visit opala.org.
