HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	323
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

Urging the Department of Health to review and recommend a policy to reduce thE use of plastic grocery bags.

     WHEREAS, plastic grocery bags provided to customers by grocery stores and other retailers are a hazard to the natural environment; and

     WHEREAS, plastic grocery bags require fossil fuel to manufacture, contribute to litter, crowd landfills with non-biodegradable waste, and are dangerous to wildlife; and

     WHEREAS, there are efforts to discourage or ban altogether the use of plastic grocery bags in cities and countries around the world, including Paris, South Africa, Ireland, Taiwan, Zanzibar, and Rwanda; and

     WHEREAS, the City of San Francisco is considering a proposed ordinance to ban the use of non-recyclable plastic grocery bags by large stores.  The measure would further require those stores to provide paper bags, recyclable plastic bags, or cloth sacks to their customers; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii has an interest in protecting its natural environment and decreasing the amount of waste flowing into its landfills; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is urged to review and consider recommending a statewide policy to reduce the use of plastic grocery bags by:

     (1)  Prohibiting stores that have over $2,000,000 in annual sales from offering non-recyclable plastic grocery bags, and instead requiring those stores to use bags made of paper, recyclable plastic, or a reusable material; and

     (2)  Imposing fines on stores that violate the ban; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Director of Health.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Environmental Protection; Ban on Non-recyclable Plastic Grocery Bags