Report Title:

Environment; Greener Copier Paper

Description:

Mandates the use of at least 60% post-consumer content paper that is processed chlorine free by all state departments and agencies.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3164

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to environmentally sustainable practices.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that approximately forty-two per cent of wood harvested is used for making paper. The legislature further finds that the average worker uses approximately ten thousand sheets of copy paper per year. In the United States, each year paper accounts for approximately thirty-eight per cent of the municipal solid waste generated. Therefore, the legislature recognizes the necessity for the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices that are both economically feasible and good for the environment.

The government, as one of the largest consumers of goods and services, is thereby vested with a great deal of power and influence over the purchase of environmentally preferable products and services, and should set a proper example for all other consumers. On a national level, the Federal Network for Sustainability, a voluntary network of federal agencies, works to promote cost-effective energy and resource-efficient operations across all branches of government. The Network has developed four initiatives for promoting greening the government, which includes the Greener Federal Copier Paper Initiative. The objectives of the Greener Federal Copier Paper Initiative are to raise awareness of environmental issues concerning copier paper, create the capability to reduce copier paper use; make greener paper more available and less costly; make green purchasing easy to implement; and generate meaningful and measurable results that others can replicate.

The legislature determines that Hawaii should engage in an active partnership with the Network to promote sustainability practices and champion Network initiatives, such as the Greener Federal Copier Paper Initiative. Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to mandate the State's participation in the Network campaign to switch to the use of at least sixty per cent post-consumer waste content paper that is also processed without the use of chlorine.

SECTION 2. Section 103D-1001, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Post-consumer waste" means waste that is collected and sorted after the product has been used by the consumer.

"Processed chlorine free" means recycled content produced without elemental chlorine or chlorine derivatives, although one or more fiber components may have originally been bleached with chlorine or chlorine derivatives."

SECTION 3. Section 103D-1001.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§103D-1001.5 Application of this part. The preferences in this part shall apply, when applicable, to procurements made pursuant to section 103D-302, or 103D-303, or both[.]; provided that section 103D-1005 shall be applicable to the entire chapter."

SECTION 4. Section 103D-1005, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:

"(e) When purchasing office paper and printed material, state purchasing agencies shall, and county purchasing agencies are urged to, purchase only recycled office paper and printed material that is processed chlorine free with [recycled] a post-consumer waste content[,] of at least sixty per cent, except when statutory[,] or regulatory[, or contractual] requirements preclude the purchase of office paper or printed material with sixty per cent post-consumer waste recycled contents of the same type and quantity as the office paper or printed material without recycled content."

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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