Question: About a month ago the green recycling carts were distributed in Manoa. Unfortunately, whoever was responsible missed my address. I called the city refuse people three times. On the final call, the person I talked to said that the contractor the city had hired missed about 3,000 homes, that my name was on the list and that I would eventually get my cart. Recently the blue recycling carts were being distributed. I got mine, but the contractor overloaded my neighbor with four carts. Why is the city allowing such slipshod methods of delivery? When can I expect my green cart?

Answer: You should be getting your green cart this week, if not already.

All the neighborhoods targeted to begin curbside recycling on Monday have been delivered the green and blue carts, said Markus Owens, spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Services.

Refuse Division workers went out last week and were to go out this week to deliver carts to residents missed on the first go-round, he said.

“;Refuse is also being proactive in going out with flatbed trucks full of green bins to ask residents in areas where they may generate large amounts of green waste to see if they need an additional cart,”; he said.

Asked how 3,000 homes could be missed, Owens said Refuse Division officials only confirmed “;some were missed ... while others might have been missed because the contractor delivered one bin to an address or parcel rather than to every mailbox.”;

As an example, he pointed to “;plantation-style”; residences, where multiple homes are located on one property. In those cases the contractor was delivering only one bin.

Once officials became aware of that, they “;corrected the problem,”; Owens said.

About 39,000 homes on the North Shore (Mokuleia to Sunset), East Honolulu (Kuliouou to Manoa and Kapahulu) and Kailua (including Lanikai) will begin having automated pickup of refuse, recyclables and green waste beginning Monday.

They will join the pilot communities of Mililani and Hawaii Kai in the new three-cart pickup system.

Q: A few weeks ago while attempting to exit Kamehameha Shopping Center, the driver of a black SUV behind me grew tired of waiting and began to honk his horn, then began to sound a police siren. I did not see a police vehicle. Are officers allowed to use their siren for personal gain?

A: You could not provide a license number or any other way to identify the vehicle or the driver, so the Honolulu Police Department could not say whether an officer was involved or whether he was justified in using the siren.

In general, however, officers are not allowed to use a siren unless they are responding to a call. That could be while they're on duty or off duty, said HPD Maj. Alan Bluemke.

It could be that the driver was an off-duty officer responding to a call for many units to respond to a nearby emergency, he said.

“;So, yes, you might use a siren in that situation,”; Bluemke said.

But, again, without knowing who was involved, he could not say whether the use of the siren was justified.