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health of our oceans. Guests travel from all over the globe to enjoy Hawaii's natural resources, and, as a result, many of us remain gainfully employed. The trash on our beaches will inevitably affect local businesses and needs to be addressed head-on by our local government. There is no reason for us to spend money shipping more non-biodegradable waste to and from our islands. 4) The public has spoken. In 2016, over 5,000 individuals signed my petition to the County Council of Hawaii Island to ban single-use EPS containers. At every hearing for Bill 140, the overwhelming majority of testimony was in favor of an EPS ban. In 2011, a study conducted in Honolulu found that 81% of respondents were in favor of a ban on EPS takeout containers (Barnes, et al). If Bill 13 faced immediate implementation, it would still stand nearly 30 years behind the first EPS bans in the United States. 5) These islands are worth it. We are home to countless species,both endemic and endangered. We have miles and miles of untouched coastline and world-class coral reef. We live in a place with a deep cultural history of respect for the land-we should honor this without exception. Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and for making choices that reflect an investment in the health and future of our island and community Sarah K. Rafferty Rise Above Plastics Coordinate, Kona Surfrider Chapter Sales &Public Relations, Big Island Divers o ceanfriendlyrestaurantshawaii.org 1) Petition, Change.org: https://www.change.org/p/william-kenoi-hawaii-county-department- of-environmental-management-hawaii-county-council-ban-single-use-eps-styrofoam- containers-in-hawaii-county 2) M. Barnes, C. Chan-Halbrendt, Q. Zhang and N. Abejon, "Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for Non-Plastic Food Containers in Honolulu, USA,"Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 2 No. 9, 2011,pp. 1264-1273. doi: 10.423 6/j ep.2011.29146. 3) Styrene Products, Inc. "Expanded Polystyrene Material Safety Data Sheet (EPS MSDS)," http://www.styreneproducts.com/media/files/SPI%20EPS%20MSDS(1).pdf