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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0048.002 2012-2014 Henry, Sharron From: Henry, Sharron Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2013 9:02 AM To: 'counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us' Cc: Kenoi, William; Lau, Wally; Kurohara, Randy; Beck, Dora; Goodale, Gregory; Peters, Linda; Kawaguchi, Craig; Thayer, Christopher Subject: TESTIMONY FOR 1/9/2013 COUNCIL MEETING RE RESOLUTION 28-13 Attachments: A RESOLUTION 28-13.doc TESTIMONY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RE: COUNCIL RESOLUTION 28-13 Dear Council Chair Yoshimoto and Councilmembers, The Department of Environmental Management(DEM) appreciates your taking the time to initiate Council Resolution 28-13 strongly urging the State of Hawaii, Department of Health to continue funding the County's HI-5 Recycling Program. DEM would like to provide testimony to Resolution 28-13 in the form of amendments(in italics)to sections of the Resolution (attached). It is our humble belief that this will assist in clarifying Hawai'i County's HI-5 program and the impact it will have to the residents and visitors to Hawai'i Island. We respectfully request your consideration of the above testimony. Sincerely, Dora Beck, P.E. Acting Director County of Hawai'i Department of Environmental Management Mailing Address: 25 Aupuni Street Physical Address: Puainako Town Center, 2100 Kanoelehua Hilo, HI 96720 Phone: 808.961.8083 or 808.981.8398 Fax: 808.961.8086 or 808.981.2092 Email: cohdem(?a co.hawaii.hi.us http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/environmental-management Hawaii County is an equal opportunity provider and employer Comm. No. g' Ref.To:___E=Z 1 Ref. Date JAN 0 9 2013 A RESOLUTION TO STRONGLY URGE THE STATE TO CONTINUE FUNDING THE COUNTY OF HAWAI'I'S HI-5 RECYCLING PROGRAM WHEREAS, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 342G, Part VIII, Deposit Beverage Container Program, provides the framework for the recycling program most commonly known as the HI-5 program;and WHEREAS,according to the State of Hawai'i's Department of Health, more than 75 percent of the 900 million HI-5 containers purchased annually in the State of Hawaii are brought to recycling facilities for redemption,saving space in landfills,and allowing them to be recycled and repurposed for additional uses;and WHEREAS,according to the County of Hawaii's Department of Environmental Management,the rate of return for HI-5 containers in the County of Hawai'i is over 90 percent which is significantly higher than the statewide return rate;and WHEREAS,according to the County of Hawaii's Department of Environmental Management,since the HI-5 program implementation in 2005,the County of Hawaii has recycled more than 778 million beverage containers, which equates to more than 90 million pounds of material that has not gone to our landfills or littered beaches, parks and roads;and WHEREAS,the 2009 County of Hawai'i Integrated Resources and Solid Waste Management Plan identified recycling and waste diversion as major activities to help the County reach its goal to divert 50 percent of solid waste from any landfill by 2008 and 80 percent by 2013,as set forth by Resolution No.28-03, Draft 2,and duly adopted by the County Council on January 23,2003;and WHEREAS,On December 19, 2007,the County Council adopted Resolution No. 356-07, Draft 2,to embrace and adopt the principles of zero waste as a long-term goal for Hawai' i County;and WHEREAS, despite the success rate of the HI-5 program here in Hawai'i County,the State of Hawai'i intends to discontinue funding Hawai'i County's HI-5 program at county transfer stations at the end of this fiscal year. This will result in a loss of 10 of the 20 total HI-5 redemption centers on island where 5 are located in underserved areas such as Honoka'a,Howl;Puako, Wai'ohinu,and Pahoa which will cause some residents to drive over an hour to recycle Hl-5 containers;and WHEREAS,the cut in funding will result in a loss of two County HI-S Recycling Specialists located on Hawai'i Island to assist the state with retail and redemption compliance assistance and educating residents and visitors about the HI-5 Program. Island residents have been educated by the HI-5 staff and take pride in their efforts toward a cleaner,healthier and stronger economy where the recycling creates jobs and reduces tremendous costs of a solid waste program;and WHEREAS, the success of the HI-5 Program and 2 Bin Mixed Recycling Program has largely been due to the one- stop shop design at the county transfer stations where one can recycle just about anything. The HI-5 Program has been a catalyst to the 2 Bin program where a recent survey shows 75%use the HI-5 Recycling and 80%use the 2-Bin Recycling at the Transfer Stations which shows that together they can be part of a comprehensive approach to recycling;and WHEREAS,the HI-5 program operates by charging 6. 5 cents per HI-5 bottle or can,with 5 cents paid to the customer if the container is returned to a redemption center and 1.5 cents is applied to State administrative costs; and WHEREAS,the County of Hawai'i does not receive any of the revenue collected by the state and has no control over the redemption fees set by the state;and WHEREAS,the County of Hawai'i understands that there is a budget shortfall in the HI-5 program,and this budget issue needs to be addressed collaboratively in a comprehensive manner by both the state and County of Hawai'i; and WHEREAS,according to the County of Hawai' i's Department of Environmental Management,an estimated $765,000 is needed in the budget for next fiscal year in order to continue the HI-5 program in the County of Hawai'i for an additional year;and WHEREAS, the County of Hawai'is Department of Environmental Management is currently working to reduce the cost in future years through a new procurement without impacting the services to the community,especially in rural areas;and WHEREAS,the HI-5 program should be funded for one more year as it is currently administered while budget and related issues are addressed in a comprehensive and collaborative manner in keeping with the overarching principle of reducing our collective solid waste stream now,therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that it strongly urges the state to continue funding the County of Hawai' i's HI-5 recycling program for an additional fiscal year to allow time for the state and County of Hawai'i to address this issue collaboratively. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward copies of this resolution to the Honorable Neil Abercrombie,Governor of the State of Hawai'i;the Honorable William P. Kenoi, Mayor of the County of Hawai'i; the Director of the State Department of Health;the Director of the State Department of Health,Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch;the State Senators and Representatives for the County of Hawai'i;the Director of the Department of Environmental Management for the County of Hawai'i.