STAND. COM. REP. NO. 302-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2155

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2155 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require that residential and commercial solid waste be separated by source to be processed at appropriate facilities;

(2) Require counties to update their integrated solid waste management plans;

(3) Establish a new waste stream reduction goal for 2030; and

(4) Appropriate funds to each county to assist in subsidizing its waste management programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Our Revolution Hawaii, Surfrider Oahu, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that many state and local governments have recycling mandates or landfill prohibitions to encourage waste diversion. Commercial recyclers in Hawaii, however, suffer from low profit margins, causing recyclable and compostable material to go to landfills or to Asia or the continental United States to be recycled. This measure seeks to bolster solid waste management efforts throughout the State by facilitating recycling, setting a goal for the reduction of the solid waste stream reduction prior to disposal, and providing resources to the counties to implement their solid waste management programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2155, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2155, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair