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Committee advances vending-machine ban on single-use plastic bottles after heated debate; 3-2
Summary
Bill 18, which would bar single-use plastic beverage bottles from city vending machines, was reported out for passage on second reading and scheduling of a public hearing after proponents cited microplastic health risks and opponents warned of cost, supply and recycling consequences. The committee voted 3-2 in favor.
The Honolulu City Council committee on March 4 voted 3-2 to report Bill 18 out for passage on second reading and to schedule a public hearing. The ordinance would add a new article to Chapter 34 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu banning single-use plastic beverage bottles from city vending machines effective Dec. 31, 2025.
Deputy Director Kealoha Fox of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency (CCSR) told the committee the office supports the bill and cited local planning documents and emerging science linking microplastics and human health. "On average, what they found was that in a liter of bottled water, 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic are found," Fox said, citing a multi-year study and noting the city's climate action plan and integrated…
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