STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1589

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 85

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 S.R. No. 85 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO FORM A WORKING GROUP ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a working group on solid waste management.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Climate Protectors Hawaii, Energy Justice Network, Green Party of Hawaiʻi, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, Zero Waste Kauai, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and eight individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Reworld, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the State's landfills are nearing capacity, with significant community opposition against the expansion of existing facilities or the establishment of new facilities. Your Committees further find that the establishment of a new landfill is evidently problematic and not necessarily the best way that a community can dispose of the solid waste it produces. Your Committees believe that alternative waste management technologies and methods need to be examined as potential solutions to the State's landfill problem. Accordingly, this measure convenes a Solid Waste Management Working Group to collaborate, analyze, and report on solid waste management policies and programs other than utilization of landfills that reduce solid waste and protect the State's environment.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Governor, or the Governor's designee, rather than the Department of Health, to convene the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

(2) Adding the following to the membership of the Solid Waste Management Working Group requested to be invited by the Governor:

(A) A representative from the reuse industry;

(B) A representative from the deconstruction industry;

(C) A representative from Zero Waste USA;

(D) A representative from a Hawaii-based environmental nonprofit organization advocating for zero waste priorities;

(E) A landfill expert with specialization in landfill liner leakage;

(F) An expert in unit-based pricing; and

(G) A representative from the United States Armed Forces;

(3) Inserting language to request the Governor, or the Governor's designee, to convene the initial meeting for the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

(4) Inserting language to request the Solid Waste Management Working Group to elect a chair from among its members at the initial meeting of the working group;

(5) Inserting language to request the Chair of the Solid Waste Management Working Group to convene subsequent meetings for the Solid Waste Management Working Group;

(6) Clarifying that the Solid Waste Management Working Group's report to the Legislature is requested to include:

(A) Information on materials management policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect the environment, which includes the groundwater, earth, and air; and

(B) A list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management of waste that cannot typically be recycled or composted;

(7) Amending legislative findings;

(8) Amending its title accordingly; and

(9) 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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 85, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 85, S.D. 1.

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