148           
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
URGING MORE PUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUT RECYCLING PROGRAMS IN HAWAII.



 1      WHEREAS, the public is largely unaware of the many recycling
 2 programs offered throughout the state to reuse waste such as
 3 aluminum cans, tires, green waste, glass, newspaper, paper,
 4 plastic, cardboard and batteries; and
 5 
 6      WHEREAS, the lack of public awareness about recycling is
 7 widespread and has resulted limited participation in recycling
 8 programs; and
 9 
10      WHEREAS, many businesses, for example, are not in compliance
11 with the law requiring businesses over 20,000 square feet in size
12 to recycle their paper, cardboard, and newspaper; and
13 
14      WHEREAS, Hawaii residents, who could be recycling 25,000
15 tons of bio-degradable products per year, only recycle 7000 tons
16 per year through the neighborhood school recycling centers,
17 thereby causing 18,000 tons of recycling material to be processed
18 at H-Power; and
19 
20      WHEREAS, recycling efforts can also be financially rewarding
21 for schools where recycling center bins are located because of
22 the monetary credits they receive for each filled bin.  The
23 schools benefit financially, while the earth and the surrounding
24 communities benefit from a cleaner environment; and
25 
26      WHEREAS, another program involving recycled glass to pave
27 roads as "glasphalt" has been so successful that island companies
28 do not have enough recycled glass to fulfill their demands; and
29 
30      WHEREAS, green waste which accounts for 30% of residential
31 trash, can be delivered to a commercial composting facility for
32 conversion into soil amendment products instead of being
33 processed at H-Power; and
34 
35      WHEREAS, the recycling opportunities for beverage, aluminum,
36 glass, newspaper, and paper are equally as extensive.  However,
37 companies have made minimal efforts in their marketing campaigns
38 to educate the public about the positive benefits of  recycling;
39 and

 
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 1 
 2      WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii's greatest assets, its beauty
 3 and natural resources, cannot continue to survive without
 4 cooperative recycling efforts from its communities; now,
 5 therefore,
 6 
 7      BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
 8 Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of
 9 1999, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Land and
10 Natural Resources is encouraged to promote and develop an
11 extensive public service campaign to improve public awareness of
12 the need to recycle in order to save the State's natural
13 resources; and
14 
15      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is
16 requested to establish a recycling educator position to increase
17 the public's awareness of the need for recycling programs by
18 informing schools, businesses, and communities of ongoing
19 recycling programs and promoting recycling through Earth Day
20 awareness, recycling competitions, and exhibits; and
21 
22      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is
23 urged to mail or distribute the published Recycling Guide to all
24 residences; and
25 
26      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is
27 requested to appoint a compliance officer to enforce current
28 recycling laws; and
29 
30      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that beverage companies or
31 distributors, glass, paper, and newspaper businesses are urged to
32 reuse recycled material and utilize a portion of their marketing
33 budgets to publicize the importance of recycling centers and
34 programs; 
35 
36      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this House
37 Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii affiliates of the
38 National Soft Drink Association, Hawaii affiliates of the
39 National Paper Trade Organization and Hawaii affiliates of the
40 Newspaper Organization of America, the Department of Health, the
41 Department of Education, and the Department of Land and Natural
42 Resources.
43 
44 
45 
46 
47                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________

 
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