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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, August 3, 2007

Moloka'i landfill reopens after ordnance disposal

Advertiser Staff

Maui County officials yesterday reopened the Moloka'i landfill, which was closed Monday after workers discovered a large amount of military ordnance.

An Army explosive ordnance disposal unit evaluated the material, removed a small amount of munitions and detonated it in a private quarry next to the landfill, the county said.

The county continues to investigate reports that the ordnance was brought to the landfill in 2004 by a trucking company.

"It appears that the material may have been placed there a few years ago and we will continue to look into how the material found its way into the landfill," Mayor Charmaine Tavares said.

The county Highways Division conducted refuse pickup runs in normally scheduled areas yesterday to help people who were not aware of an earlier announcement that the landfill would be closed yesterday.

Regular Friday refuse pickups will take place today as scheduled.

Anyone who was scheduled to have Thursday pickup service and needs to have refuse picked up should call the county's Moloka'i Highway Division baseyard office at 553-3221 to schedule a pickup.