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Saturday, June 30, 2001




DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
After workers tried to clean up the trash dumped on the
Ewa Villages Golf Course, someone else dumped more
garbage that attracted scavenging animals. This dog was
covered with flies yesterday as he tore through bags
of trash looking for food.



Furry visitors get
free lunch at
golf course

Trash dumped on the back 9
attracts dogs, vermin -- and
the Health Department


By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com

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.

"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.


DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The pile of trash was cleaned up in front of the golf
maintenance building yesterday, but new trash was
dumped just beyond the row of trees in the background.



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.


DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Ewa Neighborhood Board Chairman Jeff Alexander circled
a pile of rubbish Wednesday near the Ewa Villages Golf
Course maintenance shack.



"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.



E-mail to City Desk


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