Honolulu residents searching for a safe way to dispose of their unwanted or illegal fireworks are in luck this coming Sunday. The Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) is teaming up with a host of local agencies for a fireworks buyback event. As reported on the DLE website, the initiative is geared toward preventing accidents and injuries related to personal fireworks, which spike during holiday celebrations.
Set for November 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the buyback event will be held at the HPD Training Academy located at 93-093 Waipahu Depot Road, Waipahu. Citizens can bring their aerial devices, such as cakes and aerial shells, as well as mortars and Roman candles, to turn in. Fireworks that won’t be accepted include those bought at retail outlets like firecrackers, fountains, any homemade or modified fireworks, and certainly no improvised explosives or guns/ammunition, the list of which was provided by the DLE’s announcement.
In exchange for turning in illegal fireworks, participants will receive $5 per pound, while display fireworks or mortars are valued at $10 per pound. There’s a generous cap to this program—individuals can receive up to $500 in grocery gift cards for their surrendered fireworks. However, specific instructions must be followed: fireworks should be transported in a container placed in the trunk of the vehicle, participants should stay in their vehicle upon delivery, and first responders will handle the recovery of the fireworks from there…