Hilo pilot plans island’s first large-scale reusable foodware system with $1.5M grant for infrastructure

Nonprofit partners and county staff outlined plans for a Hilo pilot to circulate reusable foodware across restaurants, schools and events, funded in part by a $1.5 million infrastructure grant and private support.

Jennifer Navarro, program director for 0 Waste Hawaii Island, said the project grew from community outreach that found limited consumer options for packaging waste reduction. The pilot aims to prioritize "rethink and redesign" approaches to waste by emphasizing reduction and reuse ahead of recycling or composting. Navarro told the committee her group secured an EPA infrastructure grant and additional private funds to support technical assistance, marketing and education.

Ku'ule (cultural advisor for 0 Waste Hawaii Island) described the planned service model: participating businesses issue stainless-steel reusable containers to customers, return bins are placed at establishments across Hilo, and a contracted service provider collects, industrially washes, sanitizes and redistributes items. Ku'ule said the system is intended to be cost-neutral to customers and that businesses would pay a low per-use fee that can decline as volume grows. "The folks who are going to eat at restaurants or other service areas, they're able to check out a reusable dish as they would a library book," she said.

Perpetual’s implementation manager (Kaliko) told the committee procurement for the reuse service provider is nearing contract completion; the provider will schedule pickups and handle logistics. Committee members asked about container materials and health standards; Navarro and partners said community feedback favored stainless steel for its inert properties, though some container lids and components may be plastic for sealing. Navarro said the project had already purchased 5,000 stainless-steel trays intended for school use and that initial deployment will include two container types suitable for institutional and restaurant service.

Navarro and partners described education and outreach components: school assemblies, teacher toolkits, grow-your-own workshops, and community tabling. The system will use tracking (QR codes) to support returns and to reduce losses. Program staff said pilot funding will cover infrastructure items—industrial dishwashing equipment, vehicles, return bins and initial containers—while participating businesses will pay a per-use fee to cover labor and operational costs once the service is established.

Committee members asked about anticipated return rates and liability. Presenters said return rate is critical to the economics: higher return rates extend container-use cycles. They also said the service provider will follow Department of Health and EPA standards for washing and sanitizing and that provider contracting will address operational liability and insurance. The committee voted to close the file on communication 5‑09 after the presentation; staff said they expect the pilot to launch early next year if procurement and contracting proceed as planned.