STAND. COM. REP. NO. 765

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1326

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1326, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii Zero Waste Initiative;

(2) Establish the Packaging Waste Advisory Council;

(3) Require the Department of Health to develop a statewide needs assessment to determine the resources required to reduce packaging waste by seventy percent of the baseline amount;

(4) Require the Department of Health to develop a producer-funded waste reduction and reuse plan to implement a packaging waste reduction and reuse program;

(5) Require the Department of Health to submit annual reports to the Legislature; and

(6) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management; Adaptations Inc.; Big Island Coffee Roasters; Blackmountainbeauty; Coconut Trader; CupZero; DeliverZero, Inc.; EarthEx, LLC; FoodWare; Hawaii Island Ocean Advocates; Hilo Bottle Shop; Kale‘a Farms; Koko Kai Foods LLC; Muuse; NO POHŌ; Ocean Kind HI; Pop Culture Artisan Pops; Protea Zero Waste Store; SKY Kombucha; SUPERFUN Studio; The Conservationist Collective; The Locavore Store; Village Seeds Design LLC; Volcano Previous Plastic, LLC; Zero Waste Hale; 350Hawaii.org; Blue Ocean Warriors; Christienne de Tournay Zero Waste Consultancy; Don't Waste Durham; Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions; Going Home Hawaii; Hanai Kaiaulau; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund; Ho‘omalu Ke Kai; Just Zero; Kingdom Pathways; Perpetual; Plastic Pollution Coalition; Re-use Hawai‘i; Sheffield Saves; Surfrider Foundation, Hawai‘i Region; The Last Plastic Straw; Upstream; Zero Waste Hawai‘i Island; Zero Waste Maui Coalition; Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition; Climate Protectors Hawai‘i; Kokua Na Aina; Big Island Reef Keepers Hui; E-bikes Big Island LLC; Zero Waste Kaua‘i; Sierra Club of Hawai‘i; Product Stewardship Institute; Pali Nana; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Wine Institute; American Institute for Packaging and the Environment; Island Plastic Bags, Inc.; Household & Commercial Products Association; American Beverage Association; Consumer Brands Association; The Toy Association; American Chemistry Council; Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association; and Flexible Packaging Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and one individual.

Your Committee finds that packaging waste is a significant pollutant and addressing packaging waste will benefit the State and protect the environment, economy, and public health. This measure lays the foundation for Hawaii to transition from a linear waste management system to a circular economy that prioritizes waste source reduction, reuse, refill, and composting and holds producers accountable for the cost of disposal of their products and packaging.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1326, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair