HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.124 2024-2026P1PC W11
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Mike Palmer, Chair— Ho'okipa Partners Andy Huang, Past Chairman — L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
Tambara Garrick, Treasurer— Hawaii Farm Project Victor Lim, Government Relations Lead — McDonald's
Address: 2909 Wal'alae Avenue #22, Honolulu, HI 96826
2025 Board of
To: CM Chair Villegas, CM Vice Chair Kagiwada, and Members
Directors
Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management
Mike Palmer
County of Hawaii
Andy Huang
Tambara Garrick
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Victor Lim
Jesse naldo
From: Victor Lim, legislative Lead o�
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Kla Agustin
Hawaii Restaurant Association —1
Matthew Asato
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Javier Barbed
Date: October 21, 2025 —' o
Alessandro Bolla
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Timothy He
Tim Jan szewski
Subj: Bill 83 Draft 2 Relating to Food ware Packaging r r
Tom Jones
r.-i
Jay Kaneshiro
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Ryan Ko
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The Hawaii Restaurant Association (HRA) represents over 4,000 Eating and
Drinking Place locations throughout l this
Avlix e Kwok
Keith Mallini
awaii and appreciates opportunity to
offer comments and express our suggestions on Bill 83.
Greg Maples
Don Murphy
We appreciate the amendments that have been made so far. To make sure that
Edwin Ohtaour
Tyler Roukema uk
local food businesses can effectively comply, we request that it be amended to
Alison Tanaka
allow BPI certified compostable items that do not bear the brands of compostable
Katy Tanaka
utensils, lids and BPI mark on the items itself. Many of the brands of these
Ryan Tanaka
compostable utensils, lids, etc. have BPI certified marks on their cases but not on
Tina Wang
Nicolas Ware
each individual item.
Anthony Wong
Nicolas Wong
We also ask that Section 20-05-02 be amended to: (Any food provider, business,
or county facility user, selling, distributing, or otherwise providing prepared food to
Allied Members
the public shall do so using disposable service wares that is CMA-certified and is
Ronna Bahl
BPI certified, or food ware or service ware that is reusable.)
James Idemoto
Raymond Orozco
We also want to remind you that all of these food wares and service wares cost
Bryan Pearl
Randy Sagon
anywhere from two to three times more than the plastic equivalent the replace.
are
We also facing a big $2 an hour increases in our state minimum wage that will
David Yoshioka
greatly impact many smaller businesses. What we saw in Honolulu and Maui with
Julie Yunker ,
the impact of their ordinances, costs of eating out increases significantly
Advisory Board
Because business cannot absorb this big increase in costs and having to pass it to
the consumer in higher prices. Some small businesses also went under because of
Jerry Agrusa
cost increases and consumer resistance to higher prices.
Jamie Brown
Richard Rand
Thank you for this opportunity to testiffiy.
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Richard Turbin
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Staff
Sheryl Matsuoka
President & CEO
Holly Kessler
Vice President
Comm. No. 2
Ref. To:
Ref. Date 0 TT 2 1 202b