EPA removing hazardous materials following fires in Maui

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says its personnel are working with federal, state and local agencies to remove hazardous material from areas affected by the wildfires in Maui in recent weeks.

The EPA’s hazardous materials work is Phase 1 of the overall federal cleanup response. Phase 2 will be debris removal and completed by an agency to be determined.

The agency will remove a variety of what it calls “everyday” hazardous materials, including paint, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries and pesticides.

 Fuel from pressurized cylinders and tanks will be removed, and the empty containers will be marked for removal during a future second phase, Maui County says in a news release. Workers will also remove items thought to contain asbestos if they are easy to identify, but the property will not be fully cleared of asbestos until the second phase of the hazardous waste removal process.

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The EPA says it will dispatch a team to survey each property to assess work conditions, then a second team will remove the hazardous materials. After that, the agency will post a sign indicating that hazardous waste removal is complete.

Empty pressurized containers will be marked for removal during a future second phase. Workers will also remove items thought to contain asbestos if they are easy to identify, but the property will not be fully cleared of asbestos until the second phase of the hazardous waste removal process, Maui County says.

During active removal work, EPA will conduct air monitoring for particulate matter (dust-like material) and air sampling for heavy metals and asbestos, Maui County says.

The air monitors will be listed on EPA’s Air Now website. 

To contain ash and dust, the EPA will apply an adhesive called Soiltac on any areas with ash or other debris. The agency says Soiltac is non-toxic, biodegradable and approved for use by the state of Hawaii and Maui County.

Ash and debris can contain potentially harmful contaminants like asbestos, lead and arsenic that can be inhaled or enter the environment with wind, the agency says.

EPA’s work is authorized by a Federal Emergency Management Agency-issued federal disaster declaration mission assignment for wildfire recovery, the county says.

“Every step we take forward is a step with purpose, intent, and sensitivity,” says Darryl Oliveira, the interim administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency. “We’re calling the phase after the hazardous material removal phase, the “Return to Lahaina” phase. We really want to stress we want to get people back home.”

As of Aug. 29, access to areas of Lahaina, Hawaii, affected by the fire were restricted to authorized personnel.