2021-08-25 EMC agenda item 5-b(1) - HB1316_TESTIMONY_EEP_02-09-21_

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February 9, 2021 To: House Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection Representative Nicole E Lowen, Chair Representative Lisa Marten, Vice Chair Members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection Re: HB 1316 RELATING TO PACKAGING WASTE Hearing: Wednesday, February 9, 2021, 9:00 a.m., Room, 325, via videoconference Position: SUPPORT Aloha, Chair Lowen, Vice Chair Marten, and Members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection: The Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Human Environmental Impacts Committee are in support of HB 1316 which requires producers of packaging waste be responsible for the end-of-life management of their products in a way that ensures minimal social and environmental impacts, and makes producers responsible for more of the true cost of the goods they create. At minimum, each plan shall achieve the following performance requirements: (1) By 2026, a minimum of fiftyfive percent of all covered products supplied into the State are reused or recycled, with a minimum of five percent reused; (2) By 2030, a minimum of seventyfive percent of all covered products supplied into the state are reused or recycled, with a minimum of ten percent reused; and (3) for each material category of covered products supplied into the State, producer responsibility organizations shall achieve a combined reuse and recycling rates for rigid plastic, including plastic beverage containers; flexible plastic; paper; aluminum; steel; and glass, to be determined by the department. The Democratic Party of Hawai`i (Party) has adopted at its 2018 State Convention, clear safeguards to protect the against polluted runoff. At page 17 of the Party Platform, it specifically provides that \[t\]he Democratic Party of restoration of our natural environment is essential. We support a sustainable society that utilizes the earth in such a way that future generations will benefit from the practices of our generation. We support the restoration, preservation, and protection of our native ecosystems on each island. We believe in integrated approaches, practices, and support public policies that create and maintain a sustainable way of life in We believe in supporting best managementpractices in sustaining our environment and in increased citizen involvement. We support programs that encourage sustainable clean, efficient, creative and environmentally friendly modes of transportation, recycling and waste reduction.