Furry visitors get Following media reports of a waste dump at the back of the Ewa Villages Golf Course, city workers began removing some of the waste yesterday morning.
free lunch at
golf course
Trash dumped on the back 9
attracts dogs, vermin -- and
the Health DepartmentBy Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com"They actually had planned to remove everything on July 2, but because of the attention, they expedited that schedule," said Janice Okubo, Health Department spokeswoman.
But at about 6 p.m. yesterday, dogs were scavenging two fresh piles of snack bar garbage -- about 10 to 15 bags each -- dumped at the same site.
City spokeswoman Carol Costa thanked the Star-Bulletin for the report and said the city would remove the garbage last night. "I can assure your readers it won't be there tomorrow (Saturday) morning," she said.
She said the golf course would be getting a Dumpster shortly.
Costa stressed that the golf course's heavy restaurant waste is hauled away daily. But the piles of garbage bags are filled with takeout containers thrown out by the restaurant.
State health inspectors checked the site yesterday morning and found two piles, one for green waste, such as grass clippings, and another for food waste, including cups and Styrofoam containers, Okubo said.
Golf course workers had been routinely hauling away waste, but due to an equipment breakdown, they were not able to remove it as frequently, Okubo said. The golf course had a Dumpster but had problems with people using it, Okubo said.She said they will look into getting another Dumpster with a lock, and getting equipment to haul trash.
"They seem to have the situation under control now," Okubo said. "They hauled it out today."
The Health Department will issue a letter with its recommendations. Okubo said the investigators must complete their reports before deciding whether to assess any fines.
Okubo said most of the material was green waste, and the golf course planned to chip and recycle the material at the site.
"We may do a drive-by, but that would be the most we would do (to follow up)," Okubo said.Ewa Neighborhood Board Chairman Jeff Alexander made the complaint Wednesday to the Department of Health on the dumping of food waste, attracting rats, mongooses and feral cats and causing a stench.
Alexander said he received a resident's complaint of food being dumped in a gulch April 16 but could not find anything. Once he found the site hidden behind trees on the back nine holes of the course, he reported it to the Health Department.
Alexander said he led the state inspectors to the site yesterday, and they found a container of kitchen grease among the garbage. He said workers were picking up plastic bags, cups and food containers that had blown off the property.
Alexander said he has put in a word with the mayor's office to put an end to the dumping. "There are worse things than this going on out here, but we've got to start somewhere," he said.