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<br /> <br />IX. Personal Statements <br /> <br />Lene Ichinotsubo, Acting Chief <br />Department of Health Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch <br /> <br />The Department of Health would like to thank the group members for all of their hard work and their ability <br />to work together effectively to provide recommendations to the Legislature specific to the tasks required of <br />the group. We appreciate group members for meeting over the past 10 months to discuss and assemble a <br />list of recommendations that will further reduce plastic waste and create positive change in our <br />environment. We would also like to thank our support staff and our facilitator for coordinating meetings <br />and working with group members to create this report. Lastly, The Department of Health thanks the <br />Legislature for the opportunity to explore potential opportunities to further reduce plastic waste. <br /> <br />Despite varying experiences and perspectives, the Working Group was able to reach compromises to find <br />a balance among all members through these recommendations. The Department of Health recognizes the <br />The final recommendations in this report reflect the ideas that were shaped by these members to create a <br /> <br /> <br />Although all the recommendations are considered to be crucial in creating positive changes in our <br />community and environment, the recommendations that the Department of Health believes will have the <br />greatest impact on the reduction of overall waste generation are the ones that specifically promote reuse or <br />source reduction, such as the use of reusable containers over disposable containers for takeout meals at <br />restaurants. By using reusable containers, consumers will directly reduce the demand for disposable <br />containers and will further reduce overall waste generation instead of substituting one type of disposable <br />container material for another. <br /> <br />The Department of Health recognizes the positive impact that these recommendations could have on the <br />environment. The Department of Health also recognizes the state of our economy due to the COVID-19 <br />pandemic. When our State economic situation allows, the Legislature must take into consideration the <br />manpower and funding required to implement these recommendations effectively and completely when <br />possible. <br /> <br />12 <br /> <br /> <br />