Sunday, January 23, 2011

 

Department of Health washes its hands of medical waste


by Larry Geller

Anyone who discovers medical waste — including syringes, needles, plastic tubing, blood vials, and intravenous bags — should immediately call Waste Management, the operator of the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill, at 668-2985, Health officials said.

[Star-Advertiser, Leeward beaches reopen , 1/23/2011]

This is irresponsible.

If medical waste washes up anywhere in Hawaii, the Department of Health is the place to call (next, call your local newspaper or email a blogger…).

The phone number for the DOH Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office is (808) 586-4249. I understand that they have to keep a record of every complaint.


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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.


Comments:

Speaking of corrupt, lazy and incompetent local officials, here’s a suggestion: We can’t get rid of bulky refuse right now. City won’t pick it up, won’t let you leave anything but burnable items at its so-called “convenience centers.” The island’s only dump is closed because it rained real hard and washed needles onto beaches. (What are needles doing in a landfill anyway???) (Like heavy rain is something unusual in Hawaii???)

Here’s my suggestion: Find out Mufi Hannemann’s home address. Tell everybody to haul their bulky rubbish there. Dump it. This clown got rich (see train contracts) being mayor for years while solving none of the city’s major problems. He deserves your opala. And worse
 


I hate to say it, but those are the most constructive suggestions I've heard so far. The rest I don't think can appear on a nice, family-oriented blog like this.
 


Another article, Good Reason to Avoid the Ocean by Ron Mizutani in MidWeek on the medical waste that found its way into our beautiful ocean.

Medical waste often contains radioactive contaminants. Is someone testing the waste? I'm hoping for a big investigation.

This is a horrible incident which proves alot more toxins than we imagine are being dumped, then migrating into the sea with every rain - this just happened to be a huge rain thus exposing a very important toxic mess that must be addressed.
 


Waste Management is a known hazardous waste dumper. They've racked up hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for their illegal disposal methods. Here's an article where they dumped hazardous bio-waste (just like here) in Virginia: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54513962.html
 


Wast Management just like for-profit prisons are a prime example of how privatization of government services works. In order to do the job cheaper than a government run operation you pay minimum wages and you don't comply with set regulations. And if you are found not to comply with set regulations you just keep on doing business as usual as if nothing happened.
 

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