STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2410

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2843

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2843 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRONIC DEVICE RECYCLING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to encourage recycling of electronic devices sold within the State by establishing an electronic device recycling program.

     Specifically, this measure establishes a state program for collection, recycling, enforcement, and monitoring of covered electronic devices and establishes program funding through an Electronic Device Recycling Fund.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services; Sierra Club; and Covanta Energy Group.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Director of Health.  Comments were submitted by the Director of Finance; Philips Electronics; AT&T; and Apple, Inc.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will conserve valuable resources, save space in the State's landfills, and prevent the release of toxic substances into the environment by encouraging the recycling of used and discarded electronics.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that county authorized waste-to energy facilities are exempt from the disposal ban;

     (2)  Including computers in the definition of "covered electronic devices";

     (3)  Exempting telephones of any type;

     (4)  Including county household collectors in the definition for "covered entity"; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2843, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2843, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair