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Company Stays Busy Cleaning Up Junk

HONOLULU (KHNL) - We've all seen them - piles of trash left for the city's bulky item pick up crews. Now there's another service for Oahu residents with too much trash.

What do you do if you don't have access to a dumpster or some other means to dispose of all your junk? One company says they'll take care of it for you. 

One person's trash is one company's treasure.

"We give people their space back by taking their junk away. We pretty much take anything as long as it's non-hazardous, non-toxic" says company manager Sandi McDowell.

1 800 Got Junk opened on Oahu last year and says its been so busy its adding another truck later this week.

"We typically do a lot more work towards the end of the month when people are moving or taking possession of new homes or leaving homes behind."

The company says many of its customers don't like to leave their junk out of the street for the city's bulky item pick-up service.

"A lot of people don't like that and those that don't call us so that we can pick it up for them."

Between her service and the city's bulky item pick, McDowell says Oahu residents have a lot of options when it comes to getting rid of their trash. But illegal dump sites remain common across Oahu. Piles of trash litter the scenery.

"That really surprises me. I've never seen quite as many things dumped out all over on back roads and things. I'm frankly a little shocked."

The company charges $598 for a full truckload of trash. If it remains successful - competitors will likely step in. But that simply means more trash gets picked up.

"Competitive business is healthy business so, that's okay. We're doing quite well."

1-800 Got Junk started in Vancouver, Canada in 1989. The company now has 300 locations worldwide.