Legislator questions A state legislator wants the state and federal government to investigate plans to dispose 2,250 tons of contaminated soil in the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill.
disposal of
tainted soil
Lead-contaminated soil
from Aiea may be dumped
into a Leeward landfillBy Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.comIn a letter written to state Health Director Bruce Anderson, Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D, Waianae) requested a formal investigation by the state Department of Health into "whether the transportation and intended use of the lead-contaminated soil meet environmental standards."
Furthermore, she wrote, she wants the federal Environmental Protection Agency to investigate "whether environmental justice is being served by your department's oversight of the landfill."
The plans, she wrote, call for soil from the former Aiea Sugar Mill property to be eventually used as ground cover for the landfill, which is near Kahe Point in Leeward Oahu.
"What gives your department the right to support 2,250 tons of lead-contaminated soil (which they understandably do not want in Aiea) to find its home on the hillsides of the Waimanalo Gulch?" Hanabusa wrote in the letter dated Thursday. "It continues to perplex me as to why the Department of Health finds it to be acceptable to dump at a landfill that has reached capacity."
Anderson said the department has neither denied nor approved the dumping of contaminated soil into the landfill.
He said the landowner has contracted a firm to clean up the property; however, there have been no specific talks about where the material would be disposed. But he acknowledged that the landfill is one of only two places on the island where the soil could be legally dumped.
"If they were going to take that material to the landfill, they would need to get our approval, and they have not requested that approval," Anderson said. "If the soil contamination was less than 400 parts per million, it wouldn't be a problem and they could just dump it. However, there are sites at the Aiea Sugar Mill where levels exceed 400 parts per million."
Anderson said the soil needs to be removed because there are plans to build a day-care center on the old mill property.
"It's a hazard at Aiea because of the concerns about ingestion of lead, children coming in contact with the soil," he said.
But Hanabusa said winds could pick up the soil and carry it into surrounding neighborhoods.
"I understand and empathize with the concerns of the residents of Aiea," Hanabusa wrote. "However, I ask that you consider the residents of Kapolei, Makakilo, Honokai Hale, Nanakai Gardens and Ko Olina."
State of Hawaii
Department of Health
