SB2774

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2774
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that every school day, each student throughout the State of Hawaii produces about half a pound of waste. This unnecessary amount of waste is then transported at a fee to Hawaii landfills such as Waimanalo gulch, which are approaching, or have already reached, capacity. With schools using up to 31,000 cubic yards of landfill space every month at a cost of $6 per cubic yard, the lack of comprehensive school recycling programs is costing the State up to $186,000 per month for Hawaii schools to have their trash picked up and disposed of at landfills. School recycling programs would reduce unnecessary spending on waste disposal and alleviate some of the spatial issues that landfills in Hawaii are currently facing.

The Long Beach Unified School District, located in Los Angeles County, California, has adopted a recycling program that that recycles solid waste, food waste, paper, aluminum, glass, plastic, and other materials, and will reduce its spending by $310,000 per year. Hawaii can also benefit from a similar recycling program that could use compost from recycled food and green waste to fertilize plants, grass, and fields, will save schools thousands in disposal fees, and teach students the importance of recycling habits that they could continue throughout their lives.

It is said that for every ton of paper that is recycled, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, and enough electricity to power a house for six months are conserved; recycling a single aluminum reportedly conserves enough energy to power a television for six hours. Aside from the financial benefits schools would acquire, establishing comprehensive school recycling programs would also benefit the environment in which we all live.

For the foregoing reasons, the purpose of this Act is to enact one of the recommendations from the thirty-fifth secondary student conference that was held on Oahu between November 28 and 30, 2007. The conference recommended that the department of education create a task force to evaluate comprehensive recycling options available to schools, including but not limited to a detailed cost benefit analysis related to the establishment of a school recycling program in the State of Hawaii.

SECTION 2. (a) There shall be established within the department of education a task force to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the recycling options available to schools, including but not limited to a detailed cost benefit analysis related to the establishment of recycling programs in schools throughout the State of Hawaii.

(b) The superintendent shall appoint task force members without regard to section 26-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(c) Membership shall consist of delegates from both the department of education and the board of education. Members shall serve without compensation, other than the reasonable reimbursement for travel-related costs.

(d) The task force shall submit a report to the legislature, including its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009.

(e) The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2009.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to carry out the operations of the task force that are consistent with this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________