WAILUKU, Hawaii — A county in Hawaii has established a free vehicle disposal program in response to car dumping, an official said.

Illegal car abandonment along highways in Maui has increased by at least three times in six years, The Maui News reported Sunday.

Maui County has responded by implementing the Junk Vehicle Disposal Assistance Program, which allows Maui residents to dispose of one vehicle per year for free when a vehicle is delivered to a permitted scrap metal facility.

Vehicle disposal at permanent facilities “has become very expensive” and subsequently increases the instances of car dumping, said Tamara Farnsworth, manager of the county Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division.

One Maui business charges a recycling fee of $50 per net ton (0.9 metric ton) for an automobile with no fluids or tires, while fluids and tires increase the cost by an additional $165, the newspaper reported.

Shifting prices at disposal and recycling centers are dictated by the global metals market, which can be affected by demand for materials, tariffs and trade disputes, Farnsworth said.

An exit survey is conducted with everyone who uses the free disposal program. The program will remain in effect until no longer needed or funding is exhausted, she said. (AP)