FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                  

January 14, 2005

Contact: Bill Brennan, 228-1526

CITY EXTENDS BULKY ITEM PICKUP SERVICE TO LEEWARD OAHU

            KAPOLEI -- Mayor Mufi Hannemann and Dayton Nakanelua, state director of the United Public Workers Union, today announced that the city’s monthly bulky item pickup service will be expanded to include the Waianae Coast beginning March 1.  City crews will pick up bulky items left curbside from Honokai Hale to Makua according to a set schedule.

            The mayor said this is the first step toward fulfilling his commitment to make extend scheduled bulky-item pickup islandwide.

 “During the campaign, I made a commitment to make this service available to all Oahu neighborhoods, not just those in town,” Hannemann said. “We need to provide service equitably.”

            “Our members had some concerns, but we are pleased that Mayor Hannemann is willing to work with us and iron them out,” Nakanelua said.

                 Scheduled bulky item pickup has only been available in urban Honolulu, from Aliamanu  to Hawaii Kai. Residents of other areas had to call in and request pickup.  The mayor said the lack of scheduled pickup encourages illegal dumping in some of Oahu’s most scenic neighborhoods. That’s another reason for expanding the scheduled service.

             Details will be provided as they are completed.   For more on the bulky item pickup program, visit the website www.opala.org

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