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Hawaii County Council approves amended ban on single‑use plastic foodware, broadens accepted compostable certifications
Summary
After hours of public testimony and agency questioning, the Hawaii County Council passed Bill 83 (second and final reading) on Dec. 3, 2025, adopting a law to phase out certain single‑use plastic foodware while amending its certification language to accept any third‑party certifier that verifies ASTM compostability standards.
The Hawaii County Council approved Bill 83 on second and final reading on Dec. 3, 2025, voting 8–0 with one member excused after extensive public testimony and technical questioning of county staff.
Supporters, including students, environmental nonprofits and some agriculture and waste‑diversion operators, urged the council to act on plastic pollution, pointing to microplastics, stressed landfill capacity and local composting pilot projects. "Plastic is this generation's downfall, and I don't want it to be the next," said Kalia Edmonds, a seventh‑grade student who testified in favor of the measure. Recycle Hawaii's executive director, Christine Kubat, told the council that community groups and businesses are prepared to help with implementation and that other counties have moved ahead without catastrophic impacts.
Opponen…
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