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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0664.043 2014-2016 COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAII Time CEIVED To: Hawaii County Council Date © By Purpose: Testimony in support of Big Island styrofoam ban(Bill 140) Submitted by: Lindsey Kramer Contact: PO Box 3112,Kailua Kona, HI 96745 KramerKL@Hawaii.edu Date: Feb 15,2016 Aloha County Council members, Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of the proposed new article to reduce the use of polystyrene foam "styrofoam" food containers by prohibiting the sale, disbursement, and use of polystyrene foam containers and food service ware by a food provider or vendor to customers effective January 1, 2018. (Bill 140, amending Chapter 20 of Hawaii County Code;1983). I am testifying on my j own behalf, and have worked for various agencies in the field of coral reef ecology for the past 12 years. I am also the Hawai'i Island Coordinator for the Eyes of the Reef Network,which offers free trainings on coral reef health to concerned community members and ocean-goers. Our nearshore coastal ecosystems currently receive an onslaught of stressors including declining fisheries, nutrient pollution, thermal stress, and increased physical use and damage. Polystyrene use on land generates excess, non-recyclable/ non-compostable waste, and when not disposed of properly, adds floating and non-decomposing waste to our beaches and coastal ecosystems. Besides being an eyesore to residents and visitors, floating polystyrene waste is often accidentally consumed by honu (endangered green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas)and seabirds. In 2011,I lived alongside the nesting seabird colonies at French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Papaphanaumokuakea Marine National Monument which was an amazing experience, but also included witnessing the death of numerous albatross chicks with stomachs completely loaded with plastic waste (fed to them by their parents which collected the plastic waste at sea). For me, it only took seeing one chick in this condition to have a new understanding of the enormous impact of our non-recycled solid waste. Given the great importance of our natural environmental and coastal ecosystems of Hawai`i Island, and also with the knowledge that there are other fairly-priced food container options available which can be recycled and/or composted,'a ban on single-use and environmentally unsustainable polystyrene foam is a logical step. On O`ahu, the burning of polysterene (and other) waste contributes to our polluted atmosphere and forecasted warming climate. For local businesses, if this change is a significant financial burden, perhaps temporary food container subsidies could be offered during the first few years of the ban. I strongly support the proposed ban,and I feel that this conservation effort is one of many that is urgently needed to sustain our world-renowned coastal ecosystems. Thank you so much for your time. rn&Lf 3 Aloha, COMM No: �K l ' Ref. To: GV�I(. -Lmdse er Ref. Date �B 16 201 Y _6