STAND. COM. REP. NO. 291-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1642

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1642 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POSTCONSUMER RECYCLED CONTENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require deposit beverage distributors, glass container importers, and distributors or importers of beverage containers that sell, offer for sale, or distribute beverage containers in the State to meet minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements by certain deadlines.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Wine Institute. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the American Beverage Association, Zero Waste Hawai‘i Island, B.E.A.C.H., American Chemistry Council, and International Bottled Water Association.

Your Committee finds that minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements for beverage containers are needed to reduce waste, transition the State toward a circular economy, and encourage interest in recycling among deposit beverage distributors. This measure will increase the demand for recycled products and create additional incentives to redirect deposit beverage containers away from landfills and toward recycling.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Narrowing the scope of the postconsumer recycled content requirements to deposit beverage distributors for deposit beverage containers sold, offered for sale, or distributed in the State;

(2) Extending the deadlines for deposit beverage distributors to meet annual minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements;

(3) Inserting language that exempts plastic caps, plastic lids, and labels from minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2100, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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. 1642, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1642, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair