New Cone Enforcement Department Pitched to Clear Used-Up Orange Eyesores on Maui

County of Maui officials have proposed the creation of a new Cone Enforcement Department in response to national attention to an overabundance of orange rubber safety cones on island.

Recent research indicates that old, used-up safety cones are rarely disposed of properly on Maui ~ that most remain outdoors until they melt into rubber blobs or disintegrate to dust.

"We have become acutely aware of the safety cone disposal matter for about four months now," said Gregory Ehamaka, a director of the county's Environmental Health Department, which proposes a new division to help clear away discarded or unwanted safety cones.

"We believe it's reached a point where an enforcement officer is needed, to start by simply informing property owners or renters that it might be a good idea to finally throw away that black and burnt shriveled up old thing on the parkway."

The Cone Enforcement officer would initially focus on old, worn out cones left nearby after they were replaced by a brand new cone for the same location.

These pairs, Ehamaka says, are quite common, especially in Kahului.

Another area of concern is old orange rubber safety cones sitting alone in large fields with no apparent purpose.

"Once they look 'non-ripe,' or darkening in color, we strongly suggest they're either replaced, or just moved to a spot with actual potential for danger," Ehamaka said.

Finally, the county wants to stop the practice of "stack replacement," where new cones are simply set on top of old cones, which have remained in the same exact spot for years.

"We found one in Haiku last month that had 7 cones stacked atop each other, each cone on top older than the one below it by about 5 years," he said. "That cone, or stack of cones, has been protecting the same tree since Reagan was president, we believe."

The owner of that Haiku property, Vince Paa, 63, disputes the assumption.

"We put it there during Nixon, man, when that tree was a seedling," Paa said. "Obviously effective, since no car has struck the tree and it has grown into a fine, fresh adult."

Other locals doubted the need for an entirely new department in a county already seemingly overburdened to enforce codes and other regulations.

"There seems to be more important things to look into and manage than old safety cones," said Janice DeWalt, 47, of Wailea. "Maybe they could expend the funding in more important ways, like building a pedestrian bridge over Piilani Highway for kids to walk to the new Kihei high school."