Contact: Russell Nanod
(808) 668-2985 / (808) 479-5140

WASTE MANAGEMENT HELPS MAKE HONOKAI HALE SAFER

Company Donates Money for New Golf Cart for Neighborhood Patrols


Kapolei, Hawaii, March 16, 2007 - To help the residents of Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens keep their neighborhood safe, Waste Management of Hawaii will provide funding for an electric golf cart to help patrol the area, it was announced today.

Honokai Hale lies only one half mile from Waste Management's Waimanalo Gulch Landfill and the community and the landfill have always enjoyed a strong relationship. This is why, when residents needed another golf cart to improve neighborhood security, they turned to Waste Management.

Waimanalo Gulch Community Affairs Manager Russell Nanod received a letter from Erlinda Ubaldo Clamor, the community association's secretary and was quick to get approval for the donation from Paul Burns, vice president and general manager of Waste Management of Hawaii.

"We are first and foremost a community partner," Burns said, "and we are gratified that the community association felt they could come to us when they needed assistance. We will continue to do what we can to help improve the safety of Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens."

Burns pointed out that the funding is in line with Mayor Mufi Hannemann's efforts to identify and help communities in need of assistance. "Mayor Hannemann has made it a priority to identify communities needing help and we are delighted to support the ongoing efforts on the Leeward Coast," said Burns.

Lorraine Martinez, president of the Honokai Hale/Nanakai Gardens Community Association, said, "Waste Management has always been a good community partner and they have already donated safety vests and flashlights to our foot patrols. As soon as they understood how helpful the golf cart would be to increase our community patrol's responsiveness, they were quick to donate the funds."

"The residents of Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens have fought an ongoing battle to keep drugs and other unwanted activities out of our neighborhood," said Martinez. "Within the last year, we have successfully closed-down three 'ice' - crystal methamphetamine - houses that were set-up in our neighborhood. We must remain vigilant and stay visible so these potential troublemakers will see us working with the Honolulu Police Department and others to rid our community of their unwanted activities. The new golf cart will certainly help with that."

Waste Management is the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America. For more information about how we think green, log onto www.wm.com.

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