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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0664.162 2014-2016 Executive Officers: Derek Kurisu,KTA Superstores -Chairperson John Erickson,Young's Market Company—Vice Chair ABob Stout,Times Supermarkets—Secretary/Treasurer " """'' Lauren Zirbel,Executive Director 1)' .�o HAWAII FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION • 1050 Bishop St. PMB 235 Honolulu,HI 96813 Fax:808-791-0702 Telephone:808-533-1292 www.hawaiifood.com o Q _L TO: HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL—ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE -- FROM: HAWAII FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION - c a Lauren Zirbel, Executive Director DATE:June 3, 2016 TIME: 9 a.m. PLACE: Hawai'i County Building Center, Hilo RE: Bill 140, Draft 2 Position: Oppose The Hawaii Food Industry Association is comprised of two hundred member companies representing retailers, suppliers, producers, and distributors of food and beverage related products in the State of Hawaii. Although we understand the intent of Bill 140, HFIA opposes this measure,as it is a mandate on businesses and non-profit organizations that will increase costs for the community while not solving the central issues of littering,environmental management and health,the tenets upon which this bill is founded. We request that the committee allow consumer demand and behavior change to determine product offerings. Most of the trash debris seen on beaches is the result of haphazard disposal of waste from all over the world and on the seas,which are brought here by currents. Many products do not biodegrade which is why waste management is such an important issue. Hundreds of Kalihi jobs may be eliminated if the Council continues its proposed ban on this locally produced,favorably priced, FDA approved product. Passing this measure.will ban a safe, locally created product and instead mandate the use of an alternative product that must be shipped from China to the mainland and from the mainland to Hawaii.The environmental footprint of transporting these products far outweighs using them! The market is creating its own commercially viable and money generating solutions to the problem—solutions that don't put people out of work or force the market to act in premature ways, but instead generate jobs and profit for government and private enterprise.These solutions are especially promising given the need for energy sustainability, especially in Hawaii, Comm No. Ref. To: � ' Ref. Dote ,9UN 0 3 01t and the rising cost of fuel.Technology is now available and widely used in Japan to turn plastics into high-grade diesel oil. While polystyrene is a petroleum byproduct, it is also a resource. It is currently being recycled in Kalihi on a small scale, and is becoming a major recyclable resource in schools on the mainland. In fact, more that 57 million pounds of packaging were recycled in 2004.Also, in accordance with EPA priorities, polystyrene manufactures have placed precedence on source reduction and reuse as well as recycling, locally here in Hawaii and nationally. There are very real concerns associated with the manufacturing of biodegradable packaging.A Smithsonian Magazine article (2006)wrote that biodegradable alternatives have considerable drawbacks that haven't been publicized ...for example the cultivation of corn uses more nitrogen fertilizer, more herbicides and more insecticides than any other U.S.crop;those practices contribute to soil erosion and water pollution when nitrogen runoff enters streams and rivers. One must acknowledge the environmental trade-offs associated with the use of any packaging material and whether a mandate to use one particular type of container or product will have the desired result of reducing litter and/or marine debris. All foodservice products—regardless of the material from which they are made—require the use of various natural resources(i.e., energy,water).A 2006 Life Cycle Inventory study by Franklin and Associates showed that polystyrene,when compared to other food service containers,is very efficient in minimizing air emissions and energy used in the manufacturing process and in reducing the amount of waterborne waste generated during the manufacturing process. This bill makes the false assumption that products that would replace polystyrene are somehow manufactured in a vacuum without the use of any raw materials,energy,or water, or fuel to deliver the product. This is especially important considering many bio-degradable options are produced in China where labor, quality and environmental standards are know to be well below the labor, quality and environmental standards practiced in plants which produce polystyrene here on the island of Oahu. It is important to consider the carbon footprint of shipping supplies from China, especially given that local businesses currently produce a more economically viable product while also providing hundreds of jobs to the community. Extensive studies from the FDA, Health Canada and Environment Canada concluded that polystyrene is"non-toxic" and that styrene "does not constitute a danger to human life and health" and "does not constitute a danger to the environment on which human life depends." We are also concerned about the bill's impact on valued entities in the Big Island community, including non-profits,which rely heavily on food fundraisers, and locally owned "plate lunch" businesses that already operate at small profit margins. In general,food retailers operate at a profit margin of around one percent and small businesses,grocers and non-profits have comparably low or non-existent profit margins.With Hawaii's high prices,they struggle everyday to survive. They use polystyrene products as a primary means of dispensing food because polystyrene is cost effective and sanitary and its sturdiness protects customers from spills and burns. In addition to being FDA approved, polystyrene containers promote food safety and help to keep food fresh for longer periods of time by insulating and maintaining appropriate temperature. While we understand the environmental concerns,there is currently no comparable,cost effective alternative available that provides the same level of durability,temperature regulation and overall efficacy as polystyrene. We believe it is unfair to require our local businesses to use packaging alternatives that cost two to three times more than polystyrene products.The only ways to offset this proposed prohibition are to increase prices or to take a substantial financial loss,which may lead to layoffs or closures and leaving people without jobs. Increases to the price of food will also impact Hawaii families and individuals who are already struggling to pay for basic living necessities. We strongly encourage the County of Hawaii to look into establishing a polystyrene recycling program,which would mitigate environmental concerns and reduce solid waste on the island. Please remember that the proposed ban will not be a negligible cost against a large company; rather it will hurt non-profits, school cafeterias,grocers, restaurants, small mom and pop establishments and local families-all struggling with high food and living costs. Financially hurting non-profits and small businesses, fostering job layoffs and closures in the food industry and driving up the price of food for families is not the right choice for Hawaii County and for these reasons we ask that this measure be held. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.