HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0107.022 2016-2018 PIenJML
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PAUL J.BUKLAREWICZ COUNTY CLERK
114881 ELEVENTH STREET COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
VOLCANO,HI 98785RECEIVED
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808-967-8294 Time I7 By
Date MAR 0 g 2 i'
Testimony in Support of BILL No. 13—
BM 13: AMENDS CHAPTER 20,OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983(2005 EDITION,AS
AMENDED),BY ADDING A NEW ARTICLE RELATING TO REDUCTION OF POLYSTYRENE FOAM"
STYROFOAM"FOOD CONTAINERS AND FOOD SERVICE WARE Prohibits food vendors from
dispensing prepared food in disposable polystyrene food service ware effective July 1,2018.
Exempts ice chest and coolers,County facility users and food vendors with approval by the
Environmental Management Director,and County facility users and food vendors procuring
supplies during an event declared as an emergency by the Mayor.
It is important to remember that this Bill is not a"ban,"but a"reduction"in the use of EPS foam
food service containers. It is a small step in the direction of reducing the amount of petroleum-
based products that have proven to be detrimental to the land and marine environments.
Just as communities across the globe,including the County of Hawaii,have mobilized to reduce
the use of petroleum-based by-product plastic bags,sound environmental resource management
also requires the reduction of the use of polystyrene food service ware as a bad habit that needs
to be broken.
This Bill will not only serve to protect the land and marine environment,but also put a dent in the
unsightly blight of polystyrene food containers often seen littering the island's roadways and
coastal areas.
The effect of the bill's passage will also provide cost savings to food service businesses as the
cost of compostable food service ware in comparison to polystyrene products will decline as
more businesses switch to the more environmentally friendly materials.
Respectfully submitted:
PAUL J. BUKLAREWICZ
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W.f. Date_.MAR 0 8 71111: