Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim’s Public Information Officer issued a press release on Tuesday afternoon, cancelling this Saturday’s Household Hazardous Waste drop off at Kealakehe High School.  The press release said the event was canceled “in order to safeguard the residents of the County of Hawaiʻi from the possibility of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.”

The announcement of the Household Hazardous Waste events in Hilo (August 1, last Saturday) and Kona (scheduled for this Saturday, August 8) was sent out on July 21, just two weeks ago.

No additional explanation was provided why the Kona event was called off suddenly because of concern over COVID-19, when the Hilo event was held.  As of now, Hawaii County has 7 active cases of COVID-19, with 5 new confirmed on Tuesday.