WHAT ARE OPEN DUMPS?
Open dumps or “illegal dumps” are disposal sites that operate in nonconformance with any applicable standards, relevant permit conditions, rules, or statutes set by the State of Hawaii. Illegal dumps are pollution sources created when uncaring people avoid the law and avoid: • tip fees, because it costs money for people to throw away wastes; and • the time and attention needed to dispose of waste properly. Illegal dumpers may claim to operate a transfer station or recycling business, only to abandon the property once it is full of waste. In many cases, illegal dumpers are also breaking other laws related to vehicle licensing, insurance, drug possession, or theft (EPA, 1998).
