Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 319, S.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to reduce waste and conserve our landfill space by:

1. Requiring counties with a population of 500,000 or more to establish a program for recycling food waste;
2. Authorizing counties to assess a food waste recycling surcharge; and
3. Appropriating an unspecified amount of money for the initial staffing and establishment of the program.

Eco Feed, Inc., and several individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Education supported the intent of this measure.

The Department of Health, Department of Environmental Services of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association opposed this measure.

reduce a fraction of the solid and liquid waste generated. Your Committee, therefore, believes that requiring the county's to participate in a recycling food waste program would have a significant impact on reducing waste. Your Committee also finds that including a food waste recycling program component as part of each county's integrated solid waste management plan is a reasonable solution for everyone.

Your Committee has amended this bill by adding the contents of H.B. No. 2723, H.D. 2 (2002), that requires counties to include a food waste recycling program component as part of each county's integrated solid waste management plans. H.B. No. 2723, H.D. 2 (2002), also requires the counties to identify and assess the following as part of their food waste recycling component:

1. Levels of waste reduction the county is achieving through existing food waste recycling and bioconversion efforts;
2. The type and amount of food waste that may be recycled or altered through bioconversion; and
3. Methods to increase and improve food waste recycling and bioconversion efforts.

Your Committee has also amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 319, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 319, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.