HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0944.041 2014-2016 Margaret Wille ;�;.....,�w, Phone No.Hilo: (808)961-8027
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Council Member • `' Vd1 Fax No.: (808)887 2072
District 9-North and South Kohala ' `. �'/`�'/,
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai
Hawai'i County Building Holomua Center West Hawai`i Civic Center Bldg.A
25 Aupuni Street 64-1067 Mamalahoa Highway,Suite C-5 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.
Hilo,Hawai`i 96720 Waimea,Hawai`i 96743 Kailua-Kona,Hawai`i,96740
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TO: Dru Mamo Kanuha, Council Chair _• e-)rrl
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And Members of the Hawai`i Coun Council
FROM: tr Margaret Wille, Council Member , _%! � •
DATE: September 30, 2016 I
SUBJECT: Updated Appendix for Communication 944.40
Please find attached an updated appendix for use during the Communication 944.40 discussion
on October 4, 2016.
Thank you.
MW/dh
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Comm. No. 11441 I
Ref. To: VI WC..-
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Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island
Hawai`i County Is An Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer
APPENDIX
HIPSIS Meeting Agenda—12 September 2016
DATE: Monday, September 12, 2016
TIME: 10:00 a.m. —3:00 PM
PLACE: Hilo Puna Conference Room with videoconferencing from Kona
Conference Room, and possibly at other sites. Phone in code to
be provided prior to meeting
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIR MARGARET WILLE
(note: Danny Paleka and Margaret Wille rotating chairing these Task Force meetings)
MORNING SESSION
10:00-10:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
10:30-10:50 a.m. Review of HIPSIS Resolution 565 Draft 3 Goals, in particular, "to work
together to explore legislative actions to prevent the production of packaging waste and promote
reuse, recycle, and recovery of packaging products aligning with the County of Hawai`i
IRSWMP for approval by the Hawaii County Council and Mayor to become law"
10:50-11:00 p.m. Break
11:00-12:00 p.m. Member's presentations:
1) Propose at least one legislative action for the Task Force to support that would
advance the above stated HIPSIS Goal; and
2) Propose one other action for the Task Force to undertake or recommend that is
consistent with this or other of the HIPSIS goals
12:00 -12:30 p.m. Working Lunch. (Sandwiches and soup to be provided)
Open Discussion about Member's proposals
AFTERNOON SESSION
12:30-1:00 p.m. Vote on proposed actions
1:00-2:30 p.m. Discuss appropriate action plans and assign duties
2:30-2:50 p.m. Assign duties to individuals (or subcommittees?)
2:50-3:00 p.m. Plan for Next meeting
ADJOURNMENT:
3:00-4:00 p.m. (optional period for further informal discussion among Members)
PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES WILL NOT BE PROVIDED
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINER FOR WATER—REFILL AVAILABLE
1
HIPSIS Meeting Minutes— 12 September 2016
Linda Peters, COH DEM Joy Gold, Consultant to Jason Higa, CEO Zippy's
KYD Inc. (repping HRA)
Megan Lamson, HWF
Elizabeth Elkjer, SIP (EE) Jonathan Wong, Surfrider Lauren Zirbel, HFIA (LZ)
Fdn Hilo
John Elkjer, SIP (JE) Tom Knox, HFIA (TK)
Vicki Haili, Recycle HI
Margaret Wille, COH CC Toby Taniguchi (TT)
Paul Bucklarewicz,
(MW)
Recycle HI Steve Ueda, Suisan
Daniel Paleka, COH CC Ellen Cunningham, COH Wendy Okasaki, DOH
(DP) R&D
Dexter Yamada, KYD Inc.
(DY)
Acronyms:
HWF—Hawai`i Wildlife DEM—Department of R&D—Research and
Fund Environmental Development
Management
COH—County of Hawai`i TF—HIPSIS Task Force
SIP—Sustainable Island HRA—Hawai`i Restaurant EFP - environmentally
Association
Products friendly products
CC—County Council RH—Recycle Hawaii DOH—Dept of Health
EPR—Extended Producer HFIA—Hawai`i Food
Responsibility Industry Association
Fdn—Foundation
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Notes
Meeting called to order- 10:16AM
Introductions
MW: The most significant goals relate to source reduction. A task force goal relating to source
reduction could include anything we can do to eliminate it or decrease how harmful it is.
Moving down the waste management priority hierarchy ("downstream") next would be to re-use
the same packaging. Then to recycle by processing and at the bottom of the hierarchy—dealing
with litter one way or another. Director John Defies and I both attended the recent IUCN
Congress. It was made clear at the conference how critical things are right now—such as with
regard to ocean health—marine health. We no longer have the luxury of making decisions based
on what is convenient and less expensive, rather than putting environmental wellbeing foremost.
So we start with the task force goal of working together to explore legislative actions to avoid -
prevent packaging waste.
Going around the room so each member can state at least has one item aligned with a legislative
goal that we as a TF or individually can pursue or accomplish.
DY: KYD submitted several questions to the TF on August 30, 2016 and wants to know when
they are going to be answered.
MW: Suggested he raise them to the TF to respond.
JH: Justin with FFF will be calling in to join the TF later.
MW: My goal is that we are talking about and working together, and having this conversation to
address obstacles to reducing harmful packaging and to suggest reasonable compromises (
KULEANA CHART
Column A:Identify Solutions addressing the production/distribution of environmentally
friendly products
JE: Production of pulp is a possibility here in Hawai`i (listed examples). JE has looked into this
end (production) quite a bit,the difficult part here is the cost of energy. There is a digester that is
under review here NOW in West Hawai`i. More review is needed but the possibilities are
HERE. Foam is not recyclable, at least not here. So by eliminating foam you are heading in the
right direction. The current recovery rate for recyclable items in minimal.
JE says that the initial numbers given was 10-20 million dollars to start to build something here
to produce compostable products. (Say 20 million loan divided by 10 years, ... it's competitive
enough that we COULD sell to the mainland. The wild card is energy costs!
LZ:(Reading from written submission) Food is an essential commodity. Almost half of Hawaii's
residents live paycheck to paycheck. Increasing the price of all food that comes in a package will
impact the amount of food people can afford to buy and eat. This will materially impact heath
and physical well being of many of our residents. There is no more regressive tax,than a tax on
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food. It's not something that should be seriously considered. Requiring residents who live
paycheck to paycheck to foot the cost of projects, which are universally uneconomic, is bad
public policy. Developing a recycling center just for the recyclable items produced on the island
of Hawaii would be tremendously expensive. Mainland recyclers, even those operating with
very large volume, struggle financially and operate with large losses year over year., To attempt
to force taxpayers to take on even more of that burden through a regressive tax directly on food
is cruel. The District, Baltimore and many counties in between are contributing millions annually
to prop up one of the nation's busiest facilities in Elkridge, Md. —but it is still losing money.
Almost every facility similar to it in the country is running in the red. Waste Management and
other recyclers say that more than 2,000 municipalities are paying to dispose of their recyclables
instead of the other way around. The definition of environmentally friendly products ("EFP") is
under debate. Compostable containers are NOT being composted in Hawai`i. Until there is an
existing composting facility, then there will be NO composting, so we fail to see how these
products would be considered EFP. The same company does composting on Oahu as will for the
Big Island, they do not accept compostable food containers or post consumer food waste on
Oahu as this would dramatically drive up the cost of the final soil product which must be
competitive to sell to consumers at retail. Compostable containers used are currently made from
food sources such as corn, this drives up the cost of food and is tremendously wasteful as the
cultivation of corn requires a large amount of water and fertilizer. The products are
manufactured in China and must be shipped here, which results in a large carbon footprint. She
quoted the website of compostable products manufacturer ecoproducts: ""Are your compostable
products marine degradable?No, our products are not certified as marine degradable and we
strongly encourage everyone to keep all plastics out of oceans and waterways." The key is
keeping all plastic and waste out of the water and source reduction. We want a reasonable push
towards reusable products when safe and sanitary, as would be determined by the DOH. The idea
that we are going to grow crops here for the purpose of food packaging and not for the purpose
of food goes against the Governor's plan to double the amount of locally sourced food. We are
having a lot of trouble ensuring farmers and food manufacturers are economically viable in the
State of Hawaii. Using agricultural land for the production of food that people eat must be the
priority from a food security perspective. Ensuring that local food can be packaged and shipped
in a cost effective way is imperative. SEE her 4 page document.
MW: The focus must on solutions, not all of what you oppose. Do you have any suggested
solutions?
LZ: Solutions listed were to get the COH onto the Malama 808 website, and other litter-based
management solutions that use best practices to ensure litter doesn't end up in the water/
streams. Focus on source reduction& reusable products when appropriate such as BYO reusable
bags, cups, and utensils.
DY: I haven't identified any specific solution. Part of the problem is that over the years, we have
made tests to run compostable products from our line but it failed, and at a cost to us. The
product didn't come out as proposed, and it was at a big expense to us. For now, in my feeling
there is nothing available to use NOW to run the new compostable products on a conventional
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machine. We are one of the few manufacturing facilities in HI. To get something like this going
and the start-up costs will be extremely expensive. To streamline our equipment to do this, it
took two years. We did this test a couple years ago. Company called SCereplast, which is no
longer in business, proposed the compostable material that could be run on our conventional
equipment. We did this test a couple of years ago. Equipment dealers will tell you it can be done
but will not disclose problems. The product didn't come out as proposed and it was at a big
expense to us. For now, my feeling is there is nothing available to use now to run the new
compostable products on a conventional machine. We are one of the few manufacturing
facilities in HI. To get something like this going, the start-up costs, will be extremely expensive.
To streamline our EPS equipment to do this, it took two years.Now we rust distributed
compostables, we don't manufacture them. From my standpoint,producing some of these
compostable products would be really difficult in Hawai`i. Raw materials supply and logistics,
such as shipping is a huge factor, with foam you don't pay for the air ... whereas other materials
are heavier, and take up more container space. Just in time inventory is important for getting
product to distributors quickly.
JG: One solution proposed was to build on NOAA Nets to Energy partnership with Matson/
HWF to ship the nets to Covanta energy especially with the bulky packaging for computers,
refrigerators and other products. A possible partner for an expanded program is with O`ahu's
Pacific Allied Products who is already recycling packaging foam into material to be used for
trays, picture frames, etc. Walmart could be a possible partner as it piloted a closed loop
recycling plant at its Las Vegas distribution center and quickly expanded it to Texas. The
recycled materials are used to make picture frames which are sold in Walmart so they might have
info that might be useful for partnering:It's suggested that Hawaii Wildlife Foundation or
existing Hawaii Nets-to-Energy partner take the lead to explore the suggested expansion or
creation of a new program.
TK: There are a lot of issues around the first part of the statement in the kuleana chart. The
second half of this problem is easier to achievable. The first half doesn't have a clear path to
produce quantifiable benefits. Part of it will be identifying the sources of such waste items that
are washing ashore. The easier things to control will be the land-based sources, things starting
on land and entering the water. A solution next to the waterway would be as simple as putting a
trashcan by a water way. Identifying (75% of the problem) and mitigating those sources.
MW: Find solutions so that compostable products can be manufactured in an efficient way. So
we need more emphasis on gaining knowledge how to do what we want to do—produce
compostable packaging locally.
SU: My written solutions were mostly geared towards litter management. To manufacturer
things locally would be a HUGE benefit for our local restaurants, and fantastic resource for our
island. My suggestion of the cuff would be to find grants and R&D funds to identify solutions.
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JE: Brought up the costs of building a compostable to-go ware production facility here. Back
and forth with DY about issue accessing materials. DY said that there are different source
materials for compostable products, and each require a specific type of equipment. Keeping a
continuous supply of source materials, whether grown locally or shipped in, is a real problem in
on-time delivery to local distributors. DY concerned about transport being disrupted by
disasters, for example, the recent tropical storms closed the harbors. JE thinks that we can get
through these concerns.
JH: With the TF permission, he wanted to give a background on Zippy's efforts in enviro
community. Many of the local restaurants who are part of the HRA, .... from day one we have
understood the importance of the community and we have found ways to give back to the
community. We have over 2000 employees. Our existence is more about our employees rather
than money base. We have done things over the years, after feedback from our customers,
including sourcing LOCAL products, including local beef. These were all endeavors that were
done at additional expenses to us as operators. Local produce is also often at a higher price. For
us it's NOT all about dollars and sense, it's more than that. In 2010, we eliminated as much of
our EPS containers as possible (moved to type#5 containers). Our hope back then was that#5
plastics could be recycled, but today we realize that may not always be an option. But they ARE
reusable and microwaveable. We couldn't get rid of all of our EPS foam, specifically for the hot
stuff Hot saimin 180 degrees F and hot soup, ... which are the only ones left. We looked at
compostable materials twice (2011 and 2014) and we will do so again in 2017. Things improve.
But our biggest concern is the sturdiness of the containers, .... Stacking them can be a problem,
for the safety of our customers. We weren't ready to take the leap yet. But we are hopeful. We
have been active in HNL debates and members of the Maui TF on foam. The issues are
complicated and it is difficult to come up with solutions even with a group as broad as this. We
know that many enviro groups are anti-incineration but if you look at other foreign countries
they are doing this, and it helps negate the portion of imported oil. There is H-Power, and on
Maui and here on Hawai`i there are some options for"Waste to Energy"here. The DEM chair
in HNL doesn't recycle#1 PET plastic water bottles, she thinks it is greener to burn them than to
send them to CHINA for recycling. Population base is another issue. Other areas, like LA, that
have composting facilities have over a million people. You need efficiency. Materials are a
byproduct of population, the bigger the population the bigger the put through. On Oahu,with the
population base of a million the "put through" is even an issue for H-Power. So, I guess my
recommendation is to allow the experts to study and to come up with the solutions. I'm talking
about TF members like Linda Peters and Ellen Cunningham. On Maui, the DEM has experts
within the county that would make sense for the island.
MW: Is Wendy(DOH) on the line?
WS: For us, source reduction is the most important. So that DOES mean to stop using or reduce
the amount of EPF that is being used. It sounds like for food safety issues and economics, some
folks don't think that is viable. So our advice would be to study what kind of materials we can
add to use at the composting facility and also consider the economics of bringing in(importing)
such items that are compostable vs recyclable vs. landfill costs.
6
PB: From the perspective of RH with our work in education, and Keep Hawaii Beautiful, our
focus has always been source reduction. We have been teaching home composting for over 10
years, and HI county is providing these earth machine products, and have instructed several
thousand families to do home composting. So education of the public is crucial. What we have
been teaching, ... we have also been honoring restaurants with our"Keeping it Green Hawai`i"
awards, ... including Hana Hou in Na'alehu and Annie's Burgers & Beer. Another solution is to
BOYCOTT those restaurants that are using these products. Another solution is education, which
is the most important(consistent and continual)to move away from products that are harmful to
the environment. We need to reduce the usage of plastics. Basically our objective is to divert
compostables, recyclables, and re-usables out of the landfills, our major objectives.
VH: From an economics standpoint to reduce, we could look at the cost difference in the
compostable/non-recyclable products and subsidize companies to use compostable. PB brought
up a grant from Keep America Beautiful, we refunded the difference between non-recyclable
dinner ware vs compostable dinner ware for all public events. The idea was to encourage the use
of more compostable dinnerware. The idea was if more people were ordering these EFP the less
they would cost(drive prices down). (Average amount paid out per event was $10.)
LP: We (COH) are recycling around 34-35% on this island(but this doesn't include private
households)but we aren't sure about state data. In 2008, the waste composition study found that
organics made up about 52% of the landfill. I am new to this group. It's a complicated problem,
managing solid waste is NOT simple. We need our private businesses and we need to support
THEM. But it is also highly important to support public health—for individuals and for the
environment. There is misinformation that recycling should be free. Yes, in the past recyclable
commodities can bring money in to offset the operating contracts. These put-or-pay contracts
are rampant in the incineration industry, ... whereas the recycling/composting facilities are not.
And we let these decisions dictate our decisions. We are very excited to be the first organics/
composting facility in the State. It's not built yet. It's great that we can recycle plastics like #5,
but what about the shipping since there is no one here who is using those materials (industry).
Composting is a GREAT solution. But at the same time we have to be sensitive to the
businesses and figure out how to move forward the right policies for other parts of the waste
stream. And I agree with PB, education is key. If people don't understand why recycling is
important, then they will not invest in it.
ML: See additions to Kuleana Charts (action items listed below) Comments on study from Dr.
Hank Carson et. al. 2013 about local sources of marine debris from Hilo. And clarification about
HWF's contribution to nets to energy.
➢ Action item: Create a brochure/hand-out of available compostable/biodegradable
products that are LOCALLY available as viable alternatives to the current non-recyclable
packaging products.
➢ Action item: Distribute said brochure to ALL restaurant vendors on Hawai`i Island (use
COH funds or seek award from Kokua Hawai`i Foundation).
➢ Action item: Work with Hawai`i DOE to inspire "zero waste" or"plastic-free schools",
... provide COH grants-in-aid to teachers/administrators who would like to provide
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students with re-usable water bottles take-out containers, and bamboo sporks, to
eliminate the need for daily single-use plastic utensils.
Recess for a few minutes, ....
JW: He doesn't have some action items since he just got added to the TF. But he will make
some comments. It was interesting hearing from everyone but there was a lot of aspects
discussed to move forward-which is great, but he is worrying with the time-frame of this TF to
accomplish goals. There are Lots of solutions proposed but it will be hard to issue substantive
solutions except for education of the general public and identifying new areas for composting
facilities. We should look to the experts and try to bring them down to some concrete actions ...
perhaps that can happen for the next time.
Input from Start Coleman/ Surfrider Foundation:
❖ reduce single-use plastic products;
❖ promote a policy of"1, 2, C" where we only accept products that are recyclable in HI (#
l's &2's) or compostable (c);
❖ create composting facilities where counties can process food waste and compostable
products and create fertile soil (which will help grow local food &reduce greenhouse
gasses);
❖ and ban the least recycled&most littered forms of plastic like EPS foam.
EC: Broke goal #1 it into two pieces: A) There is an opportunity here to work with EPR
(extended producer responsibility), which would be easier to accomplish at a state level. We as a
state could potentially shift the waste management cost to the producers, ... which is already
included in the ZW management plan. $30-70,000. For the green dot program, this is a program
that the state would pay a fee for: $1,350/annually. At a local level, we don't know if it would
reduce waste, but it is a way to label. B) Identify sources of that waste, a marine debris litter
study to document what kinds of debris are entering the ocean from afar and that we are
contributing to. $50,000 cost. We would use/establish standard protocols. DLNR DEM
NOAA Ocean Conservancy Surfrider Fdn COH P&R 4 Keep America Beautiful grant might be
a source of that information as well.
DP: Taking into account all of the great info brought in today, ... I think we could: a)bring in
the experts, b) form partnerships with stakeholders to identify experts, promote incentives,
identify tax breaks, or research if we could even produce products here, and c) let the public
know: education campaign. JE ran numbers of costs to manufacture here. And we need
redundancy here, ... what about replacement materials if there is a break in the supply chain. d)
EPR! This is a must, this can be done quickly, but the goal will be long term. It can be done, ...
not gonna be easy but it can be done.
In summary:
••• Provide Incentives
••• Partnerships with experts
❖ Tax breaks and long-terms effects
❖ Education
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+ Consideration of extended-producer responsibility
❖ Sustainability, organics, compostables!
MW: The main goal is source reduction—in the hierarchy of Zero Waste priorities, litter
management is at the bottom of the hierarchy. Global growth and consumption patterns are
destroying our earth at astronomical rates, that is why the emphasis is on source reduction. My
focus is to create a timeline with a deadline. We are making headway in terms of ideas but
action deadlines are important to really make them happen. So let's think of legislation what
would be do-able. At the conservation conference, the focus of what is low hanging fruit with
regard to ocean health seemed to be: eliminate plastic bags, polystyrene foam, and oxybenzone
products (found in some sunscreens and some other personal care products).
What about the production of compostables on this island? What about a contest?! $10,000
grant for whoever comes up with the best ideas. This is the kind of program research R&D
could be doing. In the meantime, we will need to bring the compostable products from off
island. The more that is used, the higher the economies of scale, in other words,the lower the
cost. I did bring along a new proposed bill to bring before the council that would put a deadline
for elimination of EPF—I would like to say by 2018 when our compost program begins, but
would go further out if members of this TF believe that is more reasonable. So I am asking what
is a reasonable timeline—2019? 2020? As a compromise I am also proposing an exception for
hot foods (say above 140 degrees, or what temperature?). It is the problem with hot foods such as
hot soups that industry says there may not be safe compostable alternatives, so I think this is a
real compromise. The Bill would also impose the ban on the County without any exception: we
need to walk the walk—not just talk the talk. My heightened concern is coming out of the IUCN
conference, being aware of the need to address ocean health. The state of Hawaii uses the most
EPF and Hawai`i Island uses the most EPS foam in the state. The ocean currents in this area of
the Pacific carry light weight EPF up the chain of Hawaiian islands. A study was done of this
impact of Styrofoam from our island to the other Hawaiian island up the chain—which is the
direction of the currents... whereas I believe we should work to make our island the model of
aloha/sustainability/malama aina for our coastal waters.
I too was very upset when COH eliminated the DEM's $100,000 zero waste educational
component. Funding all a matter of priorities—for example, Mayor Assistant Augie T's with
salary of$100,000 hired about the same time) We can ask that that program be funded.
WE as a county are also now subject to the public trust principles of sustainability and need to
generally be more aware of how our decisions effect the environment, not just say the cost
differential trumps the environmental concerns. Like what John Defies has said in the context
of the Aloha Sustainability Challenge- it's not just the economics, you have weigh in
environmental and cultural wellbeing of our decisions. With the composting, we need to look at
the full cycle. We need compostable food products along with food waste and organics to go
back into the ground as compost as the first choice which is then used to grow food which puts
food back in our stores, resorts, restaurants.
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Regarding EPR—good example is how all who sell car batteries must take them back and they
have something like a 95%return rate. Perhaps we can do that for all batteries and with regard to
packaging generally—require those who provide/sell packaging to take it back—such as Fed Ex.
Part of making this happen that is the education about why it is important..
COH needs to fund the recycling education program. Also we need to get out brochures of what
IS available for any of the restaurants, especially to those who opposed bill 140. I would propose
some type of EPR, ... if you produce/sell these products you should be able to take it back.,
including at vendors such as Foodland/Longs/-- make it across the board. If we had$50,000, I
would spend it on a study that would focus on what can be done here to produce packaging
materials that could be composed in our compost production facility on island.
Anyway to start with, given our time limits on this task force I want to put something before this
council that would be similar to foam reduction bill 140 BUT substantially different by including
an exception for foam to be used for especially hot food products. But it would likely need SIX
votes to pass—assuming it is too similar to Bill 140. Bottom line is: how can we really create a
sustainable community here- we need a deadline... isn't that how we all work, many of us... no
deadline, then not likely to happen. I will address some of the concerns expressed here today.
' temperature that food needs to be cooked
TK: Re MW's new proposed bill: Is there a minimum
p P
to and maintained at for health code? TK says minimum of 140 degrees for a certain number of
minutes.... JH and JE said that it must hit 165 degrees.
JH: There is other issues involved with that resolution(when proposed on Maui) ...when you
talk about HRA you have Alan Wong's dining and other mom and pops restaurants and they
serve a specific customer base that is more cost-sensitive. 6 cents added cost for bigger
restaurants like Zippy's, McDonalds, etc. would be ok but it would impact the smaller
restaurants.
EE: We are a small local company, and we work with a very small mom and pops restaurants,
some of whom only make orders every two months or so. Some restaurants OPEN their doors
using our compostable products, e.g., One example - Aloha Shave Ice in Kona. It is doable, and
more so than folks realize. So to your point, the education must be there.
JH: On Maui, the TF showed that there was a decline in EPS containers and an increase in
compostable containers, ... so there are positive changes happening around the state.
MW: The big thing is that you don't do this overnight so there is time to transition from what is
harmful to what is beneficial. In terms of our mindset, and our laws, ... we have in our
constitution the right to a healthy environment, for the common good. Say with DDT, and
plastic.bags. . . . when those bans were proposed—there was an outcry about cost, and yet when
the laws went into place for the common good, there was no big objection. I agree with you that
there is an issue about educating folks about alternatives—and that is why we need to build in a
reasonable transition period, for education and see if there is a need and a way to subsidize those
in need to make the transition. What can you suggest to help defray the costs and concerns of
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making this change towards the greater good? It will be important to education about the costs to
the environment and the marine organisms to from single-use packaging waste, .... For me, what
I can do is get that conversation out there. It doesn't mean that this bill—or my bill on
sustainability principles is the only way—but it is one way to educate.
LZ: Does this include the eggs that are coming in from the mainland?
JH: Interstate commerce clause that would prohibit states/counties that might restrict inter-state
commerce. Because of that, a lot of these bans would be directly at local businesses at the
benefits of out-of-state entities.
MW: What do we want for our island? Malama aina is the talk the talk—so do we walk the
walk for residents and for our tourism element. We should be a leader in environmental
awareness and instead we are stuck in the 1980s, ....
LZ: So to clarify this would increase costs for meats, fish, eggs that are locally packaged but
would not increase costs for those products that are imported.
REST OF THE KULEANA CHART:
EE: Re Item#C: Things that have been brought up about the safety of to-go containers. Whole
Foods uses compostable meat trays in their facilities and if they can do it, it must be safe. Lined
with NGO so it's now more resistant with heat, so there are compostable trays now that are a lot
more durable than they were before, e.g., hot bowls, hot cups for coffee. There was a chemist
from Taste of the Range talking about a new compostable material that can actually handle
higher temperatures and will handle very well. That's a good thing about this industry is that
there is always innovation and WE ARE GETTING THERE. Unfortunately, compostables had a
little bit of growing pains but they are getting better. With what we have now they are safe and
leak-proof and they will continue to improve.
JE: The best thing that will happen is that my company (SIP) will go out of business. One day
we hope that everyone will use re-usables, ... so the next step/question will be how to be
implement re-usables, safely and sanitarily. So if this community/TF looks at this goal as
attainable then this may happen. That is where we want to go.
JH: There is a State of Hawaii regulation that would regulate taking containers over the
counter.
JG: This is where what Danny summarized about bringing the experts to the table is important.
Perhaps Peter Oshiro like DOH come to the table to seek guidance about what works, ... or
provide suggestions.
LZ: We put something in our kuleana chart in there about re-usable containers, ...
LUNCH
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MW: Legislation is good to promote awareness and educate the public so in my role that is what
I think will move this conversation along the most-- keep the discussion on the foam reduction
on the public's awareness.
LZ: I think it would be nice if we focus on things that we can all agree on. It's a long all day
commitment and I think that we should work on the things we could all agree on. Focus on the
path of least resistance. I don't think it is reasonable to expect people to commit more time to
this project when we have already stated our opposition to fees and bans. We need to accomplish
something and allow people to get back to work. We can't expect business owners to contribute
much more time to this. We have heard the following proposals that we all agree on. If we can
agree to these I think we should end this, it's not productive to sit here and disagree about the
same thing over and over.
• Source reduction(not substitution)promotions. What we could agree on would be an
education campaign to get people to bring their own bag, cup and utensils if that is
something the DOH says is safe. We would not support promotion of false or misleading
information as explained in our 4-page document.
• Creating a standard message for educating the public and school children on source
reduction about the above issue.
• Having the COH sign on to the malama808.org litter management best practices as many
businesses have done. This is free and could make a big difference as far as preventing all
types of plastics, including compostable plastics, from entering the ocean. This is a win
win.
• Look in to the COH ensuring source separation of waste for schools.
• Study of the best solution towards managing waste and reuse economically and
environmentally. It would be good to have a full study that gave well-researched answers
on questions relating to the financial impact on residents and the long-term viability of
waste programs.
MW: The different suggestions may conflict-but we can pursue several avenues. One avenue
that would pursue common goals is to question R&D about what they are doing to move forward
with incentives for new business endeavors that would move us forward on our common goals
NELHA has incubator for certain tech things but not for this type of stuff... we need to
figure out our priorities and support them. For example is the alternative to Roundup is Avenger
imported from Georgia, main ingredient is citrus based, well we have a lot of citrus here. Perhaps
we can also manufacture a Hawaii alternative to Roundup, and we should likewise pursue that
for compostable food containers. Can we export such things... maybe? Again maybe a
competition would be good. I would like to create a competition and get folks working together
to incentivize these ideas. On other suggestions—we won't agree and can pursue different
options—such as the ban on styrofoam products. I will be proposing this ban with the exception
for hot food.
VH: HI plan seed money of$25,000 is now available (due date for proposals was Sept 10th,
2016)to get your business started. So perhaps be on the lookout next year.
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JE: Hawai`i is the 50th best state to do business in: logistically, financially. The environment for
investment in the state of Hawai`i is crazy. Our population base here in Hawai`i is likely not big
enough to sustain compostable production facility, unless you could expand the market
into the mainland USA. But COH CC have access to legislators, ... business people here in
Hawai`i need a little help. It's tough! I started as a restaurant guy. Yes we need to move
forward on this but we need some help from the gov't or the power company or some function,
otherwise we are just having a nice conversation.
MW: Recognition of B-Corps, ... recognizing businesses that are making decisions that are
doing right. Good Businesses as a force for good. Recognizing and awarding those that are
doing good. In terms of consensus, what are those that are least interested in moving this effort
forward willing to do /give/agree? What is our lowest common denominator? Isn't this the
question?
EE: World Centric is a B Corp. It's a HUGE process for businesses; SIP is trying to get there.
TK: We want to see really effective solutions to these problems, so if we could focus on
problems that are achievable, i.e., reducing products and packaging waste from entering our
ocean.
Ideas for moving forward:
EDUCATION: County of Hawai`i re-fund the education program funding.
DP: If private waste companies, like Pu Honua, want to come online ... VH said that they are no
longer planning on touching waste.
JW: I couldn't really hear the last 45-60 mins of conversation, but he really wanted to see, ...
one of my concerns was that we were tackling problems that went beyond the committee's
purpose. The solutions are multi-faceted and they go pretty deep, issues with economics and
environmentalism, ... hard to seek a short-term solution that we can do now.
LZ: See if the county could sign on to Malama 808, which would help with marine debris.
Promote education about bringing your own water bottle, bag, and the importance of using
reusable products when possible. More research should be done on impacts to restaurants if we
are going to push forward any reduction bills.
MW: Linda, isn't it now you usually figure out the DEM budget for the year, ... ?
LP: It takes people to educate. The COH needs people or to subcontract agencies who have
people. Education is a powerful thing, and I am not sure where we are in the budget right now.
The city and county of HNL has an ordinance which mandates the island of Oahu DEM to
educate, ... we—COH—don't have any such ordinance.
JH: It's a campaign designed towards our customer base, ... we all agree we could do a better
job of promoting litter practices at our locations. What do we need to do about changing litter
practices?
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TK: Litter prevention campaign/advertisement(e.g., crying Indian add) has had a direct
correlation to the extent of roadside littering. And the less litter out there the less folks are likely
to litter. Yes, litter is still out there but there is a fraction of what was out there in the 60's. It's
not perfect but it can reduce the amount of stuff out there.
VH: The environmental court is now around and available here in Hawai`i.
MZ: What do the cruise ships do?
VH: Some use a gasifier to incinerate waste on the boat.
ML: I don't think they are allowed to dump plastics into the ocean....
EE: Depending on the generation, we do understand litter as a problem. I was at an event last
weekend and they colored what plastic pollution meant to them and a 4yr old girl drew a
cigarette butt with an X on it. Yes litter management is important but maybe it's not the only/
best focus.
LZ: We can also hit source reduction. Don't create waste, use your own containers, make your
own products, ... a transition from the baby boomers to millennials, ... shaping a new mindset
and a shaping/educating people in how they can make the difference in what you are doing in
your own everyday containers. These things could be expressed more easily to people.
JE: Question for Linda, ... you are in it every day. You see it every day. What do you see as
the possible sources for reduction of waste? To get to the zero waste side. What are the biggest
limitations to getting to ZW??
LP: I can't speak for the DEM. Education is the key component. If people understand, and
coupled with the participation of our retailers, then people felt they were doing the right thing
then they could embrace it. Solid waste is a complex topic. We need a landfill. You can make
laws but it really comes to individual choices, ... laws aren't the only answer. It takes
incentives, legislation, cooperation with businesses, source reduction, education, and updates
to our transfer stations (and public safety).
DP: We need the money to do it, and it should come from the producers.
MW: Education at the grade-school level is important. University of CA students brought 4
schools middle school from Waimea on a field strip looking at the harm from marine debris on
marine birds and fish. In Bangkok Thailand, a study showed straws were the#1 item that
clogged the drains... so a"strawwars"program is a good start too.
EE: Straws suck. They are unnecessary and everyone gives you one. #strawwars Why not just
get a straw only when you ask for them?
VH: Standard curriculum that could be used anywhere to educate on this issue is also good, ...
Need to Follow up with school curricula: Nancy Redfeather, PRISM, HWF
LP: Kids are getting an education about how to recycle but we are not walking the walk. As a
community we need to show them we believe in what we are saying.
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MW: DOE is getting their contractor to do source separation. They are finally starting to do
something at this level.
DP: Glass is recycled, it is crushed and sold, ... mostly on island. HI-5 is working, .... EPR.
For foam and other packaging products, we need an EPR program. Or do we put a tax on it.
Extended producer responsibility is in our plan, ... MW suggests he write a bill to do that.
DP: What about charging Walmart or Fed Ex or whoever brings foam into the island?? EPR
on everything. As many products as come in and that we bear the costs of disposal (JE:
consumer and environment will bear the brunt of these costs). MW: Should we increase HI-5
into HI-10.
LP: The problem with EPR with our state, is that we need to make sure the county gets the
money, with electronics the state kept a lot of the money. Non-HI-5 glass is being recycled and
used on island.
TK: Glass being used on island is source reduction to off-set other materials. HI-5 glass is being
hauled off island and producing no offset on the island. This is a good policy flaw that should be
highlighted, e.g., of glass being a net negative on source reduction and money avail to your
programs.
MW: Direct costs aren't taking into consideration state/county lifecycle costs of disposing the
items, and maintain a landfill.
LP: 1/3 of the DEM solid waste budget comes from landfill fees, and the rest from taxes.
LZ: Its very regressive to tax food first, ...
MW: But with economies of scale the costs of EFP decline.
TK: The ban should at least be geared towards the year after the compost facility is willing to
take food-waste containers. It is working well in San Francisco and Seattle (well income well
educated communities), whereas in Alameda County is was closed for smell and health concerns
within 5 days. Assuming plastic is bad, and assuming composting doesn't work.... Where does
that leave us?
MW: Don't think we should assume our composting program wont work. the operator does have
an operation now functioning.
EE: With all do respect, our composting facility is already going to happen, so you are not
focusing on something that we should be in our TF. Brought out the example of degraded foam
vs compostables in the marine environment. And with regard to GMOs—not used on anything
that touches your mouth.
TK: Corn is an industrial-based product as well... PLA.
[Via Wikipedia: PLA -Poly(lactic acid) or polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) is a
biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derivedfrom renewable resources, such as corn
starch (in the United States and Canada), tapioca roots, chips or starch (mostly in Asia), or
15
o
sugarcane (in the rest of the world). In 2010, PLA had the second highest consumption volume ,f
any bioplastic of the world.
ll
The name 'polylactic acid"does not comply with IUPAC standard nomenclature, and is
potentially ambiguous or confusing, because PLA is not a polyacid(polyelectrolyte), but rather a
polyester.1411
Solutions proposed (not voted on)
Source reduction
a. promotion of zero waste as goal (including promoting the COH compost facility)
b. extended-producer responsibility"EPR"for packaging
c. add the ban on Styrofoam but as of 2019 instead of 2018? (with a hot food
exception if necessary for private vendors)—or just for county now
2) Education
a. creating a standard message for those educating on these issues
b. curriculum in the schools (post on COHwebsite?)
c. creating a brochure for local vendors
d. #StrawWars
3) Litter- best practices
a. malama 808 campaign—county should join
b. #Litterati
c. Endorse bi-annual island wide beach cleanup events
d. Support Adopt-a-highway programs
4) Department of Education actually recycling on the schools (to mirror the education)
a. Not just educating and not participating!
Other things to note: Studies on economic impacts on residents and viability, studies on the
viability of creating a compostable production facility in the state (seek R&D funds), study
on what EPR would work for Hawai`i County.
JE: Proposes that the COH set an example and leads the way in becoming foam free.
DP: Said he would support ban on foam for the county—set an example.
LZ: Would like to reiterate that I think we should focus on a few issues that we can agree on and
call it a day. We need to respect people's time. We all have a lot of work to do and we can't keep
meeting to disagree over and over about the same thing. We should agree on a few actionable
items, make this as time effective as possible, and end this. We have a new administration
coming on and we don't know their priorities. I would hate to waste more time when we could
agree on a few simple things and preserve people's time and move on with our lives. We are
going to have to agree to disagree about some of the items that have been raised. The council
specifically excluded language about a ban in the discussion about this task force.
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MW NOTE: The only way we are going to move forward where there is consensus is to only go
along with what those who are least interested in pursuing the mission of this task force. We can
move forward on some suggestions together and on other suggestions separately.
Next meeting: Thurs., October 6th,2016 in HILO
Homework—work on suggestions from today and on"kuleana Chart"
Meeting ended—2:35PM
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