Response to
toxic waste
criticizedA state senator wants more
testing for risks around the
closed Waipahu Incinerator
State and city officials insisted at a Senate briefing yesterday that there is no health risk from hazardous material contamination at the closed Waipahu Incinerator or adjacent ash landfill.
But the state senator who called the meeting says he is not satisfied and called for more testing of nearby areas, including the Waipio Soccer Field Complex.
"I didn't get a very clear answer about whether hazardous materials have ever been buried under the soccer fields," said Sen. Ron Menor (D, Mililani-Waipahu).
"I would like the (state Health) department itself and the county to consider doing additional tests at the adjacent soccer fields," said Menor, who added he's thinking of the hundreds of children, including his own son, who play soccer there.
Menor led a nearly four-hour meeting of the Senate committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, and Health to discuss the recent discovery of more than 214 tons of crushed household appliances that were illegally buried next to the former Waipahu Incinerator in 2000 and 2001. Also discussed was the high levels of the hazardous heavy metal cadmium in two locations near the incinerator and in the ash landfill.
Brian Magee, a vice president and toxicologist for Amec, a consulting firm for the city, told the briefing that there is no risk to nearby residents, park users or even incinerator workers.
In addition to the appliances, testing of ash material has confirmed hazardous levels of cadmium next to the incinerator and in a portion of the landfill.
A fourth questionable site has been determined to be outside of city-occupied lands, said Steve Chang, chief of the state Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch.
Chang told senators yesterday that the city is making progress in dealing with the situation, although "it's frustrating. Where we can lead them, fine. Where we have to pull out the hammer, we are prepared to do that."
Menor criticized Chang's division for not doing a better job of policing city compliance with solid and hazardous waste laws.
"I want to make it clear I'm not saying the city should be let off the hook," Menor added. "Clearly they were involved in this."
Carroll Cox, president of the environmental group EnviroWatch, said yesterday he also was disappointed by the state's regulatory role.
Cox's reporting of the illegal dumping in February led to investigations by the state Health Department's Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch, the state attorney general's office, the Environmental Protection Agency and a city internal investigation. All investigations are pending.
City Environmental Services Director Frank Doyle has said that the city buried no appliances in the soccer park, but he was not available for comment yesterday.
City spokeswoman Carol Costa said that the city did an environmental assessment of the park, but did not specify what it found.