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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.162 2024-2026;3HF1A HAWAII FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 1050 Bishop St. PMB 235 1 Honolulu, HI 96813 P: 808-533-1292 1 e: info (hawa i ifood. co m Executive Officers Kit Okimoto, Okimoto Corp., Chair Jayson Watts, Mahi Pono, Vice Chair Jill Tamura, Tamura Super Market, Secretary/Treasurer Lauren Zirbel, HFIA, Executive Director Paul Kosasa, ABC Stores, Advisor Derek Kurisu, KTA Superstores, Advisor Toby Taniguchi, KTA Superstores, Advisor Joe Carter, Coca-Cola Bottling of Hawaii, Advisor Eddie Asato, Pint Size Hawaii, Advisor Gary Okimoto, Safeway, Advisor o c-,) TO: County Council, County of Hawai'i ct`- FROM: HAWAI'I FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION t {= Lauren Zirbel, Executive Director ''c—, DATE: November 5, 2025 V -^ RE: Relating to Bill 83 Draft 2 Position: Comments The Hawai'i Food Industry Association is comprised of two hundred member companies representing retailers, suppliers, producers, manufacturers and distributors of food and beverage related products in the State of Hawaii. Dear Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi, and members of the Council, In order to ensure that our local food businesses are able to effectively enact this measure we request that it be amended to allow BPI certified compostable items that do not bear the BPI mark on the item itself. Several brands of commonly used compostable utensils, lids, and certain other items that are BPI certified have the BPI mark on the case, but the items themselves are not always visibly labeled as compostable with the BPI certification mark. We ask that Section 20-05-02 be amended as follows: "Any food provider, business, or County facility user, selling, distributing, or otherwise providing prepared food to the public shalt do so using disposable foodware or with disposable serviceware that is CMA-certified or is BPI certified e-"ifieat'-- mar"', orfoodware or serviceware that is reusable. Comm. W-5 Ref. To: Ref. Date N We also believe that the Council should be aware that for prepared food the types of containers mandated in this measure are frequently several times as expensive as the plastic equivalent. This is especially true for the types of containers needed to safely contain food that is hot, liquid, spicy, oily, or acidic. This will increase operating costs for local businesses that have to switch to these types of containers, and some of that cost will need to be passed on to customers in the form of increased food prices.. We urge the Council to be aware of the potential negative impacts of this measure when considering passage, and implementation timeline. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Executive Officers Kit Okimoto, Okimoto Corp., Chair Jayson Watts, Mahi Pono, Vice Chair Jill Tamura, Tamura Super Market, Secretary/Treasurer Lauren Zirbel, HFIA, Executive Director 1050 Bishop St. PMB 235 1 Paul Kosasa, ABC Stores, Advisor Honolulu, HI 96813 Derek Kurisu, KTA Superstores, Advisor P: 808-533-1292 1 e: Toby Taniguchi, KTA Superstores, Advisor info@hawaiifood.com Joe Carter, Coca-Cola Bottling of Hawaii, Advisor Eddie Asato, Pint Size Hawaii, Advisor Gary Okimoto, Safeway, Advisor TO: County Council, County of Hawai i FROM: HAWAI I FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Lauren Zirbel, Executive Director DATE: November 5, 2025 RE: Relating to Bill 83 Draft 2 Position: Comments The Hawa ii Food Industry Association is comprised of two hundred member companies representing retailers, suppliers, producers, manufacturers and distributors of food and beverage related products in the State of Hawaii. Dear Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi, and members of the Council, In order to ensure that our local food businesses are able to effectively enact this measure we request that it be amended to allow BPI certified compostable items that do not bear the BPI mark on the item itself. Several brands of commonly used compostable utensils, lids, and certain other items that are BPI certified have the BPI mark on the case, but the items themselves are not always visibly labeled as compostable with the BPI certification mark. We ask that Section 20-05-02 be amended as follows: "Any food provider, business, or County facility user, selling, distributing, or otherwise providing prepared food to the public shall do so using disposable foodware or with disposable serviceware that is CMA-certified or visibly labeled as compostable with a is BPI certified certification mark, or foodware or serviceware that is reusable. We also believe that the Councilshould be aware that for prepared food the types of containers mandated in this measure are frequently several times as expensive as the plastic equivalent. This is especially true for the types of containers needed to safely contain food that is hot, liquid, spicy, oily, or acidic. This will increase operating costs for local businesses that have to switch to these types of containers, and some of that cost will need to be passed on to customers in the form of increased food prices. We urge the Council to be aware of the potential negative impacts of this measure when considering passage, and implementation timeline. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.