Hawaii County committee delays decision on Bill 83 — authors seek clearer reuse, composting rules

The Hawaii County Council policy committee on environmental and natural resource management postponed consideration of Bill 83, an ordinance that would restrict single-use plastic and polystyrene foodware in the county, to its Oct. 7 committee meeting.

The measure, introduced by Councilmembers Rebecca Villegas and Michael Galimba (co-sponsors noted in testimony), seeks to amend Chapter 20 of the Hawaii County Code relating to plastic and polystyrene waste and align county policy with the county’s zero-waste plan and the state’s Aloha+ Challenge. Committee Chair Rebecca Villegas opened the item for public testimony and said she would pass the chair to another member when debate began.

Why it matters: Testimony and council questions focused on how the ordinance would work in practice — particularly whether the county has the commercial composting capacity to accept compostable alternatives, how the bill defines “reusable” foodware, and whether ordinary retail packaging or county-funded events would be covered. Supporters said the bill is needed to reduce plastic pollution; some vendors and waste experts urged clearer language and infrastructure planning.

Public testimony and key points

Several residents and nonprofit representatives urged passage but asked for stronger reuse provisions. Hannah Rose, a lifelong Big Island resident, said, “I support Bill 83, which bans the use of single use plastics in Hawaii County,” and framed the proposal as protection for island ecosystems and future generations.

Cara Stepanek of Upstream, a reuse-focused nonprofit, asked the council to tighten the bill’s language on “reusables” to prevent loopholes that would allow single-use behavior to continue under a reusable label. Stepanek recommended rewording the bill’s definition to require items “designed and manufactured for multiple uses that is returned, sanitized, and recirculated multiple times for the same purpose in its original format in a system for reuse.”

Several witnesses described an active effort to establish reuse systems on-island. Autumn Buford, community reuse program manager at Perpetual, said Perpetual and partners are developing a Hilo reusable foodware project and told the committee the planned system includes “a commercial washing facility, about 225 collection points, transport vehicles, and a large inventory of reusable stainless steel cups, trays, and containers” and that the project budget is approximately $3,800,000.

By contrast, Christine Kubat, executive director of Recycle Hawaii, opposed broad reusable definitions that could allow plastic reusables to undermine the bill’s intent; she also said many paper-based items are backyard-compostable and that some bioplastics (PHA, PHB) can compost in nonindustrial settings.

Council questions and staff comments

Councilmembers pressed authors and Department of Environmental Management (DEM) staff on implementation details. Councilmember Michael Galimba and others emphasized that the bill is meant to target single-use foodware for prepared food service, not ordinary household use at parks or private family picnics. Galimba said the county’s current code exempts prepackaged retail goods and noted the ordinance contains an undue-hardship exemption process and a one-year lead time before the ban would take effect.

DEM recycling specialist Alex White told the committee that the county currently has no commercial composting facilities able to accept compostable packaging; a 2016 plan for an industrial composting facility was “tabled,” and an estimate at that time was about $10,500,000 (cost likely higher now). DEM staff said an integrated solid waste management plan update is forthcoming and would guide future priorities, including composting infrastructure.

Areas of friction and requested amendments

- Definition of “reusable”: multiple testifiers and councilmembers said the bill’s current wording is too vague and risks loopholes. Some urged the authors to include stronger, operational definitions that require return, sanitation, and recirculation systems.

- Composting infrastructure: DEM confirmed no current commercial composting capacity; councilmembers asked whether pilot or micro-composting options at transfer stations could be advanced alongside the ordinance.

- Scope and exemptions: Councilmembers asked to clarify whether food prepared and packaged on-site at grocery stores or delis would be covered; authors pointed to existing Chapter 20 definitions that exclude many prepackaged retail goods but acknowledged the text could be clarified to avoid confusion.

- County-funded events and grants: Councilmembers suggested extending the prohibition to events that receive county funds or grants (contingency funds) so county-supported events follow the same standard.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to forward Bill 83 to council with a favorable recommendation — moved by Councilmember Vegas; seconded by Councilmember Galimba. (No roll-call vote recorded on that motion in this session; subsequent action superseded discussion.)

- Motion to postpone Bill 83 to the committee’s Oct. 7 meeting — moved by Councilmember Galimba; seconded by Councilmember Inaba. The committee approved the postponement by voice vote: 8 ayes, 0 noes; Councilmember Connie Lee Kleinfelder absent.

What’s next

Committee members and staff said the committee will receive a presentation on the Hilo reusable foodware pilot at the next meeting (the chair noted a presentation was scheduled in two weeks), and authors indicated they will draft amendments to clarify reuse language, exemptions, and implementation timing. The item is scheduled for the committee meeting on Oct. 7.

Ending note

Speakers on both sides framed the measure as an incremental but needed step: proponents said it aligns county policy with statewide waste reduction goals and local zero-waste planning, while others asked the council to align ordinance requirements with existing and planned local infrastructure so businesses and municipalities can comply without unintended consequences.