HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Department of Education is disputing $4.1 million in fines connected to solid waste removal from a Honolulu high school track field that was found to be contaminated with lead and arsenic. ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) —
HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Department of Education is disputing $4.1 million in fines connected to solid waste removal from a Honolulu high school track field that was found to be contaminated with lead and arsenic.
Last year, work to replace a cinder track at Radford High School with a synthetic version was delayed when workers found debris and contaminates in the soil.
The Health Department Thursday announced that it had issued four violation notices connected to the removal, transportation and disposal of soil contaminated with debris and concrete waste from the Radford track field to a private residence in Kaneohe, a construction site and an unpermitted concrete recycling facility.
Several contractors, including MEI Corp, ALU Transportation Services, and Kuanna Trucking Inc., were also named in the list of four fines ranging from $13,530 to $1,122,000.
“Based on analytical laboratory results provided by DOE and its consultant, the transported soil was contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, and mercury at amounts that exceeded DOH Environmental Action Levels posing a potential health risk to the public,” the department said in a statement.
DOE Assistant Superintendent Dann Carlson says the department has requested a hearing to dispute the findings.
Deputy director for environmental health Keith Kawaoka said it’s important to ensure soil involved in construction projects is free of contamination.
“Property owners, operators and contractors are responsible for the safe handling of construction waste generated by their projects,” Kawaoka said. “It is equally important for property owners and operators that accept soil for their property or projects to ensure that they receive only clean, uncontaminated soil that is free of waste.”
