Honolulu Molasses Spill Highlights Lack Of Regulation

On Saturday, a gaggle of cameramen and reporters boarded a tug boat at Pier 9 behind Aloha Tower to go on a tour of what's being called the largest marine disaster in the state’s history — a massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor.

But if there was one takeaway from Saturday’s gathering it's that the state and federal governments need to find a better way to regulate shipments of molasses. Unlike oil or other products, molasses is not considered a hazardous material by oversight agencies.

 Dead fish and other marine life began washing ashore Sept. 9 after a leak in a Matson Inc. molasses pipeline dumped 233,000 gallons of the sugary liquid into the waters. Ever since, the plume — which cannot be cleaned up and must dissolve naturally — has killed everything in its pathway, from surgeonfish and eels to crab and coral.

Matson ships hundreds of thousands of gallons of molasses to the mainland mainly to be used for animal feed. Shipments usually occur once a week, but company officials have halted exports until any issues related to the spill have been resolved.

Matson is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the molasses pipes at the harbor. While the piers are owned by the state, officials say the sugar pipelines that run underneath belong to the company through a lease agreement.