 By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer
The bottle bill before the state Legislature moved out of its first committees and went to the House Judiciary Committee, where a hearing is scheduled for today.
The bill calls for a deposit on all beverage containers — 5 cents on containers up to 20 ounces in size and 15 cents for larger containers.
It applies to glass, plastic and metal containers.
The bill pits business interests that consider it a paperwork and waste management problem against an array of government and community groups that want to get a handle on litter and solid waste problems.
"There’s a lot of opposition from the business sector. They’ve always wanted a voluntary program, but that hasn’t generated very high recycling rates," said Rep. Hermina Morita, D-12th (N. Kaua‘i, E. Maui), who heads the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection.
The state Department of Health and county recycling offices support the bill.
Sixth-graders from Moloka‘i were among those testifying in favor of the bill before hearings between Morita’s committee and the Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns.
Student Whitnelle Cooper of Kualapu‘u School said that her class conducted a systematic survey of 103 homes on her island and found 71 percent of the residents said they support a bottle bill, mainly as a means of limiting roadside litter.
"It is difficult to determine the impact of a cost increase on sales because there are so many other variables, but overall there appears to be little negative impact," said her classmate, Kimberly Mokuau.
Morita said committee members were impressed by the Moloka‘i students’ preparation.
"Their testimony was excellent, and they were little kids," she said.
A hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. today before the Judiciary Committee. If the bill passes out of that committee, it will move on to the Finance Committee.
The bottle bill failed to make it out of committee in the Senate.
[back to top] |
