State Spends $260K on Hand Sanitizing Dispensers/Supply at Hawai‘i Airports

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is installing 250 hand sanitizing dispensers with more than 12,000 boxes of anti-bacterial solution that will be placed in high passenger volume areas throughout the airports statewide.

The dispensers are free standing, battery operated and touch free. They are placed in high volume areas such as check-in lobbies, baggage claims, food courts, security checkpoints, international arrival and tour group sections and gate areas. The total cost of the hand sanitizing dispensers, equipment and liquid is $260,000.

Transportation officials say custodians in airports and harbors are working to clean and sanitize the facilities, especially restrooms and common touch points like handrails, doorknobs and elevator buttons.

At the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at least 35 custodians per eight-hour shift are working to clean the airport facilities.

The HDOT Airports Division has also been distributing anti-bacterial wipes to airport employees to clean their stations and areas where passengers may frequent. HDOT extended a special thanks to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority for providing dozens of cases of the anti-bacterial wipes.

“HDOT is committed to working with federal, state, county and private agencies to help keep the community safe,” department officials said.

“We sincerely thank Hawaiian Airlines and Pacific Air Cargo for their work delivering the dispensers quickly and free of charge from California to Hawaiʻi,” said Director Jade Butay, Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation. “A big mahalo to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority for picking up more than half the costs associated with the sanitizing equipment.”