STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1236
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: H.B. No. 918
H.D. 2
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 918, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABELING,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Establish labeling requirements for certain premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes; and
Your Committees
received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of
Environmental Management of the County of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition,
Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and three individuals.
Your Committees
received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Retail Merchants of
Hawaii.
Your Committees
received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Household
& Commercial Products Association, and Association of Nonwoven Fabrics
Industry.
Your Committees find that disposable wipes are a significant and growing problem for wastewater treatment facilities in the State. Your Committees further find that despite being labeled as "flushable" or "disposable", many wipe products do not break down as easily as toilet paper, leading to clogs and significant damage to plumbing systems or sewer infrastructure. By imposing labeling standards and requirements on manufacturers of disposable wipes, this measure minimizes the frequency and severity of wastewater equipment blockages and protects the State's wastewater infrastructure.
Your Committees have
amended this measure by:
(1) Extending the timeframe by which certain covered product manufacturers' symbol and label notice approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency shall be in use, from six months to eighteen months after the approval;
(2) Inserting a new section to appropriate an unspecified amount for
the fiscal biennium for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE)
positions within the Department of Health for inspection and enforcement and
education and outreach;
(3) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments
for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 918, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 918, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Environment,
|
________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair |
|
________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair |
|
|
|
|