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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />Ci17ill NEW oKlla <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />BILL NO. 140 <br />DRAFT 2 <br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 20, OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 <br />(2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW ARTICLE RELATING TO <br />REDUCTION OF POLYSTYRENE FOAM "STYROFOAM" FOOD CONTAINERS <br />AND FOOD SERVICE WARE. <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAPI: <br />SECTION 1. Chapter 20, I lawai`i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is <br />amended by adding a new article to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: <br />"Article _. Polystyrene Foam Food Container and <br />Food Service Ware Reduction. <br />Division 1. General Provisions. <br />Section 20- . Findings and purpose. <br />Solid waste that is nondegradable or nomccyclable poses unique problems for <br />an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Disposal of such waste either takes up <br />valuable air space in existing landfills or ends up as litter, sometimes in our marine <br />environment. <br />Polystyrene foam, sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Styrofoam," is neither <br />degradable nor compostable. It is made from non-renewable fossil fuels and <br />synthetic chemicals that can leach out over time into the environment, especially <br />after contact with hot, greasy, or acidic foods. When discarded, polystyrene foam <br />often breaks into tiny pieces, is mistaken for food and ingested by land and marine <br />animals, including birds and fish. This is detrimental not only to wildlife but to <br />other life forms in the food chain. <br />In view of the detrimental impacts of this substance in Hawaii County, it is <br />the purpose of this article to reduce the use of polystyrene foam food containers and <br />food service ware, to encourage supermarkets and other vendors to eliminate the <br />use of polystyrene foam for packaging unprepared food, and thereby promote the <br />use of environmentally preferable alternatives. <br />Although foods packaged outside of the limits of Hawaii County are <br />excluded from the provisions of this article, the purveyors of foods prepackaged <br />outside of the limits of Hawai' i County are encouraged to follow these provisions <br />