Establishes statewide residential curbside recycling program to be administered by each county by 2008. Requires that counties implement residential curbside recycling as part of their solid waste management plans.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in 1991, a statewide comprehensive solid waste management policy was adopted through chapter 342G, Hawaii Revised Statutes (chapter 342G), with the primary goal of reducing and managing the solid waste stream within our State. This statewide policy was the first step toward protecting our limited natural resources by encouraging state and county governments to develop solid waste management plans and to implement programs that focused on waste stream reduction through recycling, amongst other methods. The legislature further finds that the counties are key partners in the development of plans and implementation of programs, since they are the primary providers of solid waste collection and disposal services. Through chapter 342G, the counties are given the authority to implement and fund, through a solid waste collection surcharge, solid waste programs, including recycling.

The purpose of this Act is to require each county to establish and implement, by 2008, as part of their residential solid waste collection and disposal programs, a residential curbside recycling program to support the State's goal of reducing the solid waste stream, as provided by law.

SECTION 2. Chapter 342G, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§342G-   County residential curbside recycling program. (a) Beginning January 1, 2008, each county shall implement a residential curbside recycling program. Each county's curbside recycling program shall include, at a minimum, newspaper, plastics, glass, and aluminum. Residential curbside recycling shall be integrated into each county's residential solid waste collection and disposal program."

SECTION 3. Section 342G-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Residential curbside recycling" means the collection and recycling of residential recyclable materials from the same area where the residential household's solid waste is collected for disposal."

SECTION 4. Section 342G-25, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) The program element shall include at a minimum:

SECTION 5. Section 342G-26, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

"(c) The recycling and bioconversion component shall identify and assess:

For recycling, the counties shall assess the type and amount of solid waste that it is technically feasible to recycle, giving consideration at a minimum to clear glass, colored glass, aluminum, steel and bimetallic cans, high-grade office paper, newsprint, mixed paper, corrugated paper, HDPE, PET, and green waste.

For bioconversion, the counties shall assess the type and amount of solid waste that it is technically feasible to alter through bioconversion, giving consideration at a minimum to green waste, wood waste, animal manure, sewage sludge, and food wastes."

SECTION 6. Section 342G-104, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Moneys in the deposit beverage container deposit special fund shall be used to reimburse refund values, pay handling fees to redemption centers, fund the reverse vending machine rebate program under section 342G-102.5, [and] fund the redemption center and recycling infrastructure improvement program established pursuant to section 342G-114.5[.], and fund the curbside recycling program established pursuant to section 342G-  . The department may also use the money to:

SECTION 7. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon approval, provided that the amendments made to section 342G-104, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by section 6 of this Act shall not be repealed when that section is repealed and reenacted on June 30, 2006, by section 6(1) of Act 228, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005.