The petition from a family on Olowalu Village Road says even temporary storage of these substances from the Aug. 8 wildfires “poses great risk of causing irreversible damage to soil, water, air, the ocean and people.”
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health released data today showing elevated levels of arsenic, lead, antimony, cobalt, and copper in wildfire ash collected in Lahaina. The Lahaina data validates that the primary contaminant of concern is arsenic, a heavy metal that adheres to wildfire dust and ash. Department officials say this finding reinforces the need to diligently follow recommendations to reduce potential exposure.