HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.250 2024-2026From: Alyssa Kratz
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:56 AM
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To: Council Testimony
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Subject: Strong Support for Bill 83 - Ban Single Use Plastics
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Aloha Chair and Council members,
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My name is Alyssa Kratz, I serve our community as a licensed social worker, and have called Dwaf i
island home for 1.2 years. I'm writing in strong support of Bill 83.
Living on Hawai'i Island, we know recycling is not a viable solution for plastic waste. Most single -use
plastics never make it through a recycling stream because we simply don't have the facilities or the
capacity'to process them. These plastics end up in landfills, which is not a long-term solution since, as
we all know, space on our island is limited. Reducing plastic at the source is the only truly
sustainable option for our island.
Every piece of plastic we eliminate makes a difference —for our beaches, our marine life, and the
generations who will inherit this land. We've seen how effective policy can be: after the County's 2018
EPS foam ban, many local businesses adapted successfully, proving that workable alternatives already
exist. Compostable and reusable options are available, practical, and aligned with our island values of
malama'aina.
Bill 83 is not about inconvenience —it's about integrity. It's about taking responsibility for the waste we
create and honoring the land and ocean that sustain us. Bill 83 meets our county's Zero Waste Goals and
is a necessity for the long term health of the lands and our marine life.
Mahalo for your leadership and your continued commitment to protecting Hawai'i Island.
With Aloha,
Alyssa Kratz, LSW
Kailua-Kona, HI
(808) 345-4776
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Ref. Date 9 2025