HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.042 2024-2026Hawaii Wildlife Fund
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t ele6rating 29+years of Protecting Hawaii's native wildlife through research,
education and conservation.
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15 September 2025 —ems o
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First, many thanks to Councilwomen Rebecca Villegas and Michelle Galimba for bringing this much-"
needed legislation forward. This effort to more sweepingly reduce the single -use -plastics "foodware—
footprint" of our island is long-awaited and has been envisioned for many years now.
To be clear, this effort is nothing novel and similar legislation has already passed on O'ahu in December
2019 and in Maui County in April 2020. Hawai'i County is following their lead with Bill 83, and Hawai'I
Wildlife Fund (HWF) fully supports this legislation and has some suggestions to further strengthen its
impact.
The best way to reduce plastic pollution from the environment (and from its continued contributions to
climate change) is to stop producing it. And as an island community, that means refusing any mindless
single -use -plastic products we can (where clear alternatives exist) in an effort to reduce our carbon
footprint.
Here at HWF, we believe and have seen firsthand the damage that plastic pollution has had on our native
wildlife and coastal / marine ecosystems. We also know that plastic pollution = marine debris, as over
94%of what we collect on our standardized shoreline surveys is made of plastics. While plastic pollution
is truly a global problem, we must act locally to find solutions. That means more reusables and less single -
use consumerism, wherever possible.
HWF has been involved in large-scale marine debris removal efforts on this island since 2003. During that
time, we have removed over 370 tons of debris (a.k.a. plastic pollution 1) from along the shoreline,
averaging 34,000 pounds annually. In 2024 alone, HWF and volunteers removed a total of 55,004 pounds
of marine debris from the shores of Ka'u (89.7% by weight), Kona and Kohala districts during 58 cleanup
events. With 537 participants (97 of whom were keiki), that is an average of 102 pounds removed per
person per cleanup day. This figure should help tell the story of the true scale of the problem.
Bill 83 is an opportunity to reduce some of the local sources of plastic pollution from our environment
(and fro our households). Our previous efforts on this island to reduce cigarette butts on beaches, plastic
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bags, and polystyrene containers have already made a notable difference along our roadways, coastlines,
within our dryland and mauka forests and within our communities. True, bans (or prohibitions) are not
the only solution, but they are part of the solution and provide a great step in educating our island
residents, visitors, and business members about better ways that we can all take care of our island, our
planet and our people.
I hope (and plan) to join you tomorrow at the hearing, but in case we are unable to make it, please know
that HWF stands In strong support of this effort, and only asks committee members to amend it as such to
include a prohibition of distribution or sales of any plastic water bottle smaller than 1 L (-34 ounces). This
can be done simply by changing the definition of foodware to include beverage bottles of a certain size.
As an island, we need to do a better job at curbing single -use items and instead encourage folks to use
larger, reusable jugs and personal refillable water bottles. Obviously, these rules can be amended in any
emergency situation, as mayor Kim did with the plastic legislation during Covid. Plus in the future, we
hope to see the Council introduce measures that also limit the amounts of single -use plastics distributed
in the hotel and accommodations sector, including the countless single -use personal care products that
are given away and tossed out by the ton on a daily basis. Multiple hotels and visitor accommodations
have already made the swap to refillable shampoo, conditioner and soap dispensers, and have added
water -bottle refill stations to their facilities, including our partner with the SCP Hilo Hotel (since they
opened in 2021) and other local island businesses!
Founded in 1996, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund is a nonprofit organization with a mission to conserve Hawai'i's
native wildlife through research and education. We engage and inspire communities through outreach,
education, conservation and habitat restoration activities, conducting environmental research,
supporting community -driven management efforts, and initiating advocacy campaigns. We have been
working to protect native wildlife and restore coastal/nearshore ecosystems across the Hawaiian
Archipelago for the past 29 years with community and partner support.
Many thanks for your time and consideration. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact
me at megan(@wildhawaii.org.
Sincerely,
Megan Lamson Leatherman, M. Sc.
Hawaii Wildlife Fund
President & Hawai'i Program Director
PO Box 1801
Kealakekua, HI 96750
www.wildkawaii.org