STAND. COM. REP. NO. 134

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1227

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1227 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD WASTE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Prohibit generators of commercial organic material from disposing of, incinerating, or transferring solid waste to landfills, waste-to-energy facilities; and

 

     (2)  Require all generators of commercial organic material to use alternative means of disposal.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Maui EKO Systems, Zero Waste Kauai, and five individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and Animal Rights Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that waste disposal is an issue of critical importance throughout the State.  Even with current statewide policies, recycling efforts reduce only a fraction of the solid and liquid waste generated.  Landfills are approaching or have already reached their maximum capacity, and the expansion of current landfills and relocation efforts are meeting widespread community opposition.  The implementation of this measure will reduce the amount of waste entering the State's landfills and encourage alternative means of disposal.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Eliminating the prohibition on the transfer of solid waste to landfills, waste-to-energy facilities, or by incineration, in the State;

 

     (2)  Replacing "solid waste" with commercial organic waste in section 342G-  (a), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (3)  Expanding means of disposal or transfer of waste to include biofuel production and thermal combustion of organic materials;

 

     (4)  Amending section 1 to reflect the amended purpose of this measure;

 

     (5)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1227, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1227, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

 

 

 

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair