STAND. COM. REP. NO. 439

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 893

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 893 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECYCLING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the counties from rejecting number 1 and number 2 plastic bottles presented for recycling solely because the bottles are accompanied by or adjoined to nonrecyclable bottle caps;

(2) Require and appropriate funds for the counties to separate and appropriately dispose of such nonrecyclable bottle caps;

(3) Insert a definition of "PP", or polypropylene plastic material, into the integrated solid waste management law; and

(4) Require the counties to include PP materials in its feasibility assessment for recycling.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and five individuals.

Your Committees find that the local and global impact of the world's increasing waste stream is unsustainable and detrimental to the future of Hawaii's economy and people. There has been an exponential rise in single-use foodware and drinkware, including plastic bottles with caps, which are major contributors to street and beach litter, ocean pollution, marine and other wildlife harm, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Your Committees further find that because the counties do not accept number 1 and number 2 plastic bottles that are accompanied by or adjoined to nonrecyclable bottle caps made of polypropylene, some consumers may be discouraged by the inconvenience and ultimately choose not to recycle their plastic bottles. By having the counties accept those plastic bottles for recycling and separate caps from bottles, the State can increase recycling rates and reduce the overall volume of waste.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 893 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair