Hilo, Hawaii

With more than 40,000 residents, Hilo is the second-largest census designated place in the state of Hawaii and the largest settlement on Hawaii's Big Island. While it is sometimes referred to as a "city", Hilo is not an incorporated city. It is under the jurisdiction of Hawaii County and Hilo is the county seat. Hilo is positioned on the northeastern coast of Hawaii's Big Island situated near Mauna Loa (active) and Mauna Kea volcanoes. Due to its geographic location, Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States and susceptible to tsunamis. In 1946 and 1960, Hilo was destroyed by a tsunami. Hilo Bay serves as a seaport, tourist center and commercial area for the entire island. Some attractions located on Hilo include the Imiloa Astronomy Center, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo, Rainbow Falls, and the Merrie Monarch Festival, a week-long celebration of ancient and modern hula. Also located in Hilo is the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the Hilo International Airport, and the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory.

In the early days Hilo was a busy farming and fishing community. However, by the turn of the 20th century it was the sugar plantations and construction of infrastructure that largely supported Hilo's economy. Today, in addition to its thriving tourism industry, Hilo is a financially stable coastal city as a world leader in flower export, specifically tropical flowers. Approximately one-million acres of Hilo are dedicated to cultivating orchids as well as other tropical flower species. Other significant industries in Hilo include livestock and fishery. Hilo houses the Cattle Ranch, which supplies more than fifty percent of hogs and cows in all of Hawaii, as well as exports to other countries like Canada and other states in America. Livestock brings in approximately $25 million every year. Water species ranging from oyster to shrimps and fishes to algae brings in roughly $11 million annually.

Hilo's history of industry and construction makes exposure to asbestos an ongoing concern. Workers exposed to asbestos in Hilo may be at risk to develop malignant mesothelioma. If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma in Hilo, you should also consider contacting an asbestos attorney.

Jobsites in Hilo where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Hilo, HI have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.