THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

161

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROJECT FOR CURBSIDE RECYCLING ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU.

 

WHEREAS, in 2002, the Legislature established the deposit beverage container program under Act 176, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, recognizing that recycling is an important element of the integrated solid waste management system that helps to protect and preserve environmental resources and reduce economic costs to residents and businesses within the State; and

WHEREAS, public participation in the deposit beverage container program has been minimal with the Department of Health reporting that:

(1) Of the more than $5,000,000 collected by the State from deposits, only $333,000 in redemptions have been paid; and

(2) While the Department estimated a redemption rate of seventy per cent, the actual redemption rate experienced has been about 6.67 per cent, that is, of more than one hundred million eligible containers sold, only 6.67 million containers have been redeemed; and

WHEREAS, the low participation rates clearly show that the deposit beverage container program has not been as effective as envisioned since the overwhelming majority of eligible containers sold are not being recycled and it is likely that many of these containers are ending up in Hawaii's landfills despite the program; and

WHEREAS, given the continued need to conserve our valuable resources, save dwindling landfill space, and promote active conservation, it is imperative that the State continue to work on recycling solutions, taking into account the lessons learned, so that the State's recycling goals will be achieved; and

WHEREAS, the inconvenience of sorting, cleaning, and carrying containers to a limited number of recycling centers, where waiting time is often long, appears to be the primary factor hindering participation in the deposit beverage container program; and

WHEREAS, curbside recycling would clearly maximize recycling efforts by providing the convenience of curbside collection while significantly increasing the quantity of recyclable materials recovered; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to work with the City and County of Honolulu to evaluate and develop a three-year pilot project for curbside recycling on Oahu; provided that in so doing, the Department of Health and City and County of Honolulu are requested to consider the following:

(1) Providing for the collection of recyclables at the curbside, i.e., at a location where trash is normally set out for refuse collection;

(2) Providing for single-stream recycling that does not require the separation of individual recyclables (including but not limited to newspaper, phone books, magazines, white office paper, junk mail, corrugated cardboard, paperboard/boxboard, aluminum and steel cans, narrow-necked plastic bottles, and plastic bags);

(3) Causing the least disruption in the current refuse collection system;

(4) Processing of collected recyclables that maximizes proper separation, collection, and disposition of recyclable materials;

(5) Minimizing cost impact on homeowners, the counties, businesses, and state agencies; and

(6) Providing for the phasing out of the deposit beverage container program and repeal of Act 176, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, by July 1, 2006, and implementation of the three-year pilot project starting in January 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to report its findings and recommendations to implement the curbside recycling pilot program and phase out the current deposit beverage container program, including proposed legislation that may be needed, to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to submit a final report on the pilot project to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; provided that the report is requested to include in addition to an evaluation of the pilot project, recommendations on implementing a statewide curbside recycling program and how to fund a statewide curbside recycling program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health and the Mayor of the city and county of Honolulu.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Curbside Recycling Pilot Project