HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.106 2024-2026From:
John Elkjer
Sent:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 10:55 AM
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To:
Council Testimony
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Subject:
Bill 83 Testimony
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To: Chair Villegas, Vice Chair Kagiwada, and Councilmembers =;
From: John Elkjer, CEO, Sustainable Island Products _l
Re: Bill 83-Support with Strengthened Definition of"Reusable"
Aloha Councilmembers,
As the CEO of Sustainable Island Products, a local company headquartered in Hawai'i, I am submitting
this testimony in strong support of Bill 83.1 urge you to pass this bill with one important amendment to
strengthen the definition of "reusable."
We've already proven we can adapt. In 2018, Hawai'i County became the first in the state to ban single -
use expanded polystyrene foam. Businesses —including ours —adapted. That precedent shows that with
clear rules and reasonable lead time, the local economy is capable of innovation. Bill 83 is simply the
next necessary step.
Recycling is not the answer. For years, the public has been told that plastics labeled "recyclable"
would solve our waste problem. The truth is most of it never gets recycled —especially food -soiled
plastics here on Hawai'i Island. Continuing to lean on "recyclability" is not a solution; it's a myth that
delays real progress.
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Reusable must mean truly reusable. Without strong definitions, we risk repeating the mistakes of other
jurisdictions where thicker single -use plastic bags and containers flooded the market, labeled as
"reusable" but discarded after only one or two uses. Bill 83 should make clear that reusable
means participation in a real system —collected, washed, and redistributed for multiple cycles —not
just thicker plastic.
Compostables are part of the solution. Even when end -of -life today looks the same as plastic, certified
compostables are far more sustainable on the production side. They're made from agricultural
byproducts, not oil, and use significantly less water and fossil energy to produce. In addition, by
mandating compostables now, the County lays the groundwork for the next logical step: a commercial
composting facility on island. This bill is the foundation for that investment.
This is about our shared legacy. As a local employer and business owner raising my family here, I view
this bill not just through the lens of business operations but through the responsibility we all share for the
next generation. Our children and grandchildren deserve to inherit an island that isn't burdened with
plastic waste on its shores or in its landfills.
On behalf of our team at Sustainable Island Products, I respectfully urge you to pass Bill 83 with an
amendment to tighten the "reusable" definition. By doing so, you will give our community clear, fair, and
forward -looking policy that reduces waste today and builds the foundation for the composting and reuse
systems of tomorrow.
Mahalo for your leadership and commitment to solutions that truly work for Hawaii.
Respectfully,
John Elkjer
CEO, Sustainable Island Products
Sustainable
Island Products
Corporate Office
73-5590 Kauhola St., Ste A
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
(808) 769-4905
sustainableislan dproducts. com
John Elkjer
CEO
(808) 769-1966
john@sustWnableislandproducts.com
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