THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

171

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO COORDINATE EFFORTS AND PROMOTE THE USE OF COMPOST.

WHEREAS, Hawaii's landfills are at, or beyond, capacity and recent proposals to expand current sites, construct new ones, or find alternative solutions for disposal of solid waste have concerned many communities and lawmakers; and

WHEREAS, much of the solid waste occupying landfills is food waste, the largest component of the organic waste stream; and

WHEREAS, as much as thirty-five percent of this land-filled organic waste could be cost-effectively recycled through a process called composting, in which microorganisms process the waste into nutrient-rich compost which looks like soil; and

WHEREAS, composting organic food waste could transform trash, which takes up invaluable space in our landfills, into a useful product; and

WHEREAS, for centuries, compost has been viewed as advantageous to soil improvement, helping to reduce erosion, alleviating soil compaction, and helping to control disease and pest infestation in plants; and

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States loses more than two billion tons a year of topsoil through erosion, which happens when wind and rain dislodge topsoil from fields and hillsides; and

WHEREAS, erosion leaves behind soil that is often too poor to sustain good plant growth, and eroded topsoil can also be carried off into rivers, streams, and lakes, threatening the health of aquatic organisms and compromising the commercial, recreational, and aesthetic value of Hawaii's water resources; and

WHEREAS, compost can also reduce the use of harmful chemical fertilizers by replacing agricultural and landscaping products harmful to the environment; and

WHEREAS, compost can also be used by gardeners and landscapers in creating a planting bed for flowers and plants, keeping them healthy by controlling weeds and providing a slow release of nutrients that are available as plants need them, instead of in one intense flush; and

WHEREAS, compost can produce a marketable commodity and a low-cost alternative to standard landfill cover, extending municipal landfill life for years; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) is urged to coordinate state efforts to demonstrate the value of compost for remediation of depleted soils; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DBEDT is also urged to form an advisory committee to formulate recommendations concerning the development of opportunities for remediation of marginal soils, as well as the development of a market for expanded use of compost as a plant bedding material; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DBEDT is urged to coordinate efforts to promote the value of compost to potential end-users; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Compost; Soil Remediation; Plant Bed