HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

245

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

Requesting the Hawaii Food Industry Association and the Hawaii retail association to REPORT on the backhaul of shipping and packing materials and pallets.

 

 

WHEREAS, the State's landfills are near capacity in all counties, and it has become more difficult to site new landfills in the State; and

WHEREAS, our "throw-away" culture encourages the use of excess materials in the packaging of products; and

WHEREAS, the methods used to pack and ship products to Hawaii are material intensive; and

WHEREAS, although this excessive packaging is most apparent in the operations of large "big box" retail and wholesale stores that are being established on all islands in Hawaii, it would benefit policymakers and solid waste managers to know how much backhauling is occurring statewide; and

WHEREAS, recycling and all other current initiatives do not divert a sufficient amount of solid waste to meaningfully extend the life of the State's landfills; and

WHEREAS, the State must now refocus on solid waste management issues in order to avert a critical statewide issue; and

WHEREAS, large "big box" retailers and wholesalers are in the an ideal position to absorb the cost of back hauling and should do their part in sending their packaging material back to the place of origin or to wherever the recycling centers are, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association reports that backhauling is practiced by some of its membership; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Hawaii Retailers Association is requested to report on the status of backhauling packaging, crating, insulation, pallets, and other accommodating materials used for shipping, including:

(1) Determining what is currently being done to dispose of these materials and developing solutions to reduce volume of shipping materials being used; and

(2) Determining what more can be done to increase backhaul efforts

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these organizations are requested to report its findings and recommendations including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii Food Industry Association and Hawaii Retailers Association.

 

 

Report Title:

Requesting the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Hawaii Retailers Association to Conduct a Study on backhauling.