STAND. COM. REP. NO. 82-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1643

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. 1643 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTE REDUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to, beginning January 1, 2023, allow a food vendor to provide or distribute disposable service ware for prepared food or for a beverage only upon the request or affirmative response of a customer or person being provided the prepared food or beverage, or in a self-service area or dispenser.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association, Surfrider Foundation, B.E.A.C.H., and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and American Chemistry Council.

Your Committee finds that the production, use, and disposal of service ware designed to be discarded after a single use or limited number of uses damage Hawaii's environment and ecosystems, overburden state recycling facilities, and contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions at every stage in the lifecycle of their production. Additionally, the City and County of Honolulu's disposable service ware ordinance, which dictates that disposable service ware may be provided to customers only upon request, has proven successful in reducing the distribution of single or limited-use utensils. This measure expands on the success of the City and County of Honolulu's ordinance to reduce the amount of disposable service ware that may have negative impacts on the environment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions that would have required the Director of Health to adopt rules regarding the enforcement of the disposable service ware upon request mandate and deleting related enforcement authorizations;

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

(3) 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. 1643, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1643, 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