HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.221 2010-2012 9/2011 08:51 FAX 808 5912039 ABC STORES a 001/002
ABC ABC STORES
PIOJUIIc2L
766 Pohukaina Street Telephone:Ma)591-2550
STORES Honolulu,Hawaii 96813-5391 Fax (808)591-2039
www.abostgC$.Fam E-mail rnagbabcstores.eop]
December 16, 2011
Council Member Dominic Yagong, Chairperson and Presiding Officer
Council Member Pete Hoffman, Vice Chair
County Council
County of Hawaii, Hilo, Hawaii
HEARING: Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 9:OOa ; =,
-
CD
RE: BiII 17,Draft 2. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 14,Hawaii County Cods 1983.(2005
Edition,as Amend/di by Adding g New Article Relating to Plastic Reduction. Co =�
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Chairperson Dominic Yagong and Members of the Hawai'i County Council:
ABC Stores is a local retail chain with stores located Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. On the Big
Island, we have five locations; 4 stores in Kona and 1 store in Waikoloa.
ABC Stores is in opposition to this proposal that prohibits businesses from providing plastic checkout
bags to their customers.
Why we should NOT ban plastic bags:
• Production of paper tags generates 70% more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than
plastic bags-
• Paper bags are six to eight times more voluminous than plastic bags. Shipping costs are six times
greater. This means that the carbon footprint to bring paper bags to the island is greater than that to
import plastic bags. Moreover, plastic bags are manufactured on Oahu and paper bags are not.
• Plastic bags consume less than 4% of the water needed to make paper bags. It takes 5,527 cubic
meters of water to produce 100 million paper bags.
• The cost of foodstuffs is rising rapidly. The World Bank states that expansion of food based alternative
energy and products have played a part in the doubling of the price of corn. These products also
release methane into the environment, a powerful greenhouse gas, when they compost.
• Plastic bags are far kiss expensive than paper in both cost per case, and cost of shipping. A typical
plastic bag costs about a penny to produce, a paper one about 6-10 cents and a compostable bag
about 8-12 cents.
• The ULS San Francis;co survey found that all food chains affected by the ordinance had switched to
paper bags only. There was NO increase in reusable bag use.
• In order to avoid having consumers pay more for food as a result of forcing retailers to switch from
plastic to paper bags which is actually less environmentally friendly, we would suggest focusing of
reduction of all single use bags by implementing a fee on all single use bags. This will bring revenue to
the County.
Wh we should Implement a fee on ALL sin le use s:
• A fee on shopping bags in the Republic of Ireland has cut their use by more than 90% and raised
millions of euros in revenue, the government says.
• The Republic of Ireland's fee was introduced as an attempt to curb litter, and the improvement was
immediate and"plain to see", said Environment Minister Martin Cullen.
Comm. • G'/. 2 z.i
Travel Resort Retail Ref.To:
Ref. Date DE 2 1 20
9/2011 08 :52 FAX 808 5912039 ABC STORES 0 002/002
Bill 17 Draft 2
Page 2
• Washington D.C. imposed a 5 cent per bag fee on retailers and restaurants. Within the first month of
the program, the average monthly number of bags used in D.C. decreased over 80% from 22.5 million
bags to just 3 million. The fee has already generated substantial funds to clean up the Anacostia River.
• Washington Mayor Acrian Fenty points out that the fee on plastic bags is not to charge consumers out
of using bags—or to burden them financially anymore than they may be with grocery store prices-^
but to encourage shoppers to avoid a fee in the first place by using reusable shopping bags.
Thank you for your con:ideration and for the opportunity to comment n this easure.
Sincerel
PAUL -rA7A
President& 'E