Twenty volunteers from Merahi Productions, a Tahitian performance troupe, recently conducted a roadside cleanup along the Hilo side of a nearly 3-mile stretch of Railroad Avenue from the dead end to East Puainako Street. ADVERTISING Twenty volunteers from Merahi Productions,
Twenty volunteers from Merahi Productions, a Tahitian performance troupe, recently conducted a roadside cleanup along the Hilo side of a nearly 3-mile stretch of Railroad Avenue from the dead end to East Puainako Street.
This section of Railroad Avenue was selected because it is a problem area for illegal dumping that requires occasional cleanups — particularly at the end of the road.
Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Merahi cleanup crew managed to overfill the beds of two heavy-duty pickup trucks provided by volunteers.
Approximately 1,000 pounds of discarded mattress box springs, scrap metal, lumber, a car tire and 30 bags of rubbish and recyclables were off-loaded at the nearby Hilo transfer station on Leilani Street.
Additional logistical support and supplies were provided by Recycle Hawaii and Keep Hawaii Beautiful, including safety vests, trash bags, gloves, a first-aid kit, mosquito repellent, recycling information bags and fliers.
Keep Hawaii Beautiful is the Hawaii Island affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. The Hilo cleanup was part of the yearlong nationwide effort, the Great American Cleanup, and an America/Hawaii Recycles Day event.
Recycle Hawaii served as the lead nonprofit community education organization that secured the Alexander &Baldwin/Matson Navigation “Ka Ipu ‘Aina” grant.
To find out more about the Matson Ka Ipu ‘Aina grant to facilitate cleanups of illegal dumping areas in neighborhoods, call Matson at 935-7015 or Recycle Hawaii at 969-2012.
