Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2005 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the County of Hawaii to establish a three-year demonstration beverage container deposit system.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Health, Office of Environment Quality Control, County of Hawaii, and Sierra Club Hawai`i Chapter. The Hawaii Food Industry Association and Anheuser Busch Companies testified in opposition.

Your Committee finds that the County of Hawaii is in support of a statewide beverage container deposit system that can meet the legitimate concerns being raised by the business community, and will support a statewide system if retailers and the advocates of a bottle bill can reach agreement. If not, the County is interested in serving as a demonstration site and will work with retailers and other interested parties in an effort to find an approach that would make the business community a partner in the project.

Your Committee is supportive of the County in this important effort to achieve litter control and recycling through a partnership with the business community and is passing this measure out to ensure further discussion on this issue.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2005 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.