STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 306
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 179
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 Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 179 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINER MATERIALS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Reynolds Recycling, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Origin Materials, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Liquor Wholesalers Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the American Beverage Association.
Your Committee finds that solutions to
limit negative environmental impacts from plastics production and waste are
needed. Minimum postconsumer recycled
content requirements and minimum non-petroleum materials content requirements
for beverage containers reduce waste, transition the State toward a circular
economy, and encourage interest in recycling among deposit beverage distributors
and glass container importers. This
measure will redirect deposit beverage containers away from landfills and
toward more sustainable alternatives to help transition the State toward
material independence and supply chain security.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring that non-petroleum materials used to meet certain requirements be fully recyclable and able to be readily used with existing PET recycling infrastructure without contaminating recycling streams;
(2) Authorizing the Department of Health to adopt rules to determine which non-petroleum-based plastics qualify for achieving certain requirements;
(3) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, should it deliberate on this measure, to continue to look at the definitions related to deposit beverage containers and how they might apply to containers made from one hundred percent non-petroleum products.
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. 179, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 179, 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,
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____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair |
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