HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.357 2024-2026COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAINAc,
175 DEC —2 AM 10: 17
Hawai'i County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawai'i, 96720
Dear Councilmembers,
World Centric is a Public Benefit Corporation and a Certified B Corp with the mission to be of service to
people and the planet. We manufacture certified compostable and reusable foodservice and packaging
products and give 25% of our profits to social and environmental organizations to further their work in
creating a better world.
As manufacturers of compostable foodware products, World Centric is very concerned about language
introduced in Hawai'i County in 2025 through Bill 83, which states:
"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 BPI certification mark or foodware
or serviceware that is reusable."
This language specifically calls out just two entities for the purposes of certifying compostable foodware,
excluding all other certifying bodies and certified compostable products on the market, including those
produced by World Centric. Relying on just these two certifiers for the compostable product market in Hawai'i
County risks significant impacts on the food service industry across the Big Island, raising costs and stifling
market innovation.
By allowing additional certifiers that verify compostable products to the same rigorous standards as BPI and
CMA, Hawaii County could continue to foster a competitive market for compostable products, reduce the
financial burden on local businesses, and accelerate progress towards achieving Hawai'i County's Zero Waste
Plan goals.
World Centric respectfully requests that the Hawaii County Council amend Bill 83 to include any and all
third -party certification bodies that verify compostable products to ASTM standards for compostability. The
language above could be modified to state "...with disposable food serviceware that is certified by a
third-nartv entity to meet ASTM standards D6400 or D6868...". This change would still meet the goals of Bill
83 but would allow all certifying bodies to meet the requirements of the bill, not just BPI or CMA, promoting
equal market opportunities for all businesses in the County of Hawai'i.
Thank you for hearing our concerns and supporting local businesses.
Sincerely,
Zack Bradford
Government Affairs and Advocacy Manager
Zack. Bradford (@worldcentric.com
1500 Valley House Dr. #210, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 1 T 707.241.9190 1 worldcentric.
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