HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0282.002 2020-2022 I
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HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE
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STATE CAPITOL
415 SOUTH BERETANIA STREET
HONOLULU,HAWAII 96813
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COUNTY CLERK
TO:Honorable Herbert M.`Tim`Richards III COY O p
RECEIVED
Chair and Presiding Officer ®Q,�1
Committee on Regenerative Agriculture
Water,Energy,and Environmental Management Dates JUN 1 4 2021
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RE:Resolution 143-21
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This testimony confirms my support for the both the Basel Convention and the need for Hawaii County to abide by its provisions.Urging the
Department of Environmental Management to consider the environmental standards outlined in this groundbreaking international agreement is
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an important first step as the department works to reinstate its recycling programs.
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Equally important to the process of deciding how Hawaii County's recyclable materials will get handled moving forward is an assessment of the
changes occurring in the global recycling industry.At this time,major investments being made in response to restrictions put in place under
China's National Sword initiative are resulting in a rapid and robust development of recycling infrastructure worldwide,with much of that activity I
occurring in the U.S.Basing decisions on how to handle recyclables on the Basel Convention alone could very well preclude options that will
allow Hawaii County to take advantage of this new infrastructure and help build supply chains for the emerging circular economy.
We have already seen that corporate interests dependent on the take-make-waste economic model are using support for the Basel Convention
to promote resource destruction technologies.Hawaii County must avoid this trap by all means and to the extent that this resolution paves the
way for a future in which resources are destroyed and human consumption of the Earth's natural resources continues unabated,it should not
be supported.To the extent that this resolution can be used to promote the collection of clean,well sorted materials of value to the emerging
domestic recycling industry,then it has my full support and deserves yours as well. I
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Sincerely, I
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Senator Laura Acasio
Senate District 1-Greater Hilo
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Comm". N
Ref. To: �[
Ref, ate JUN 1 5 2V—