State Rep. Mina Morita, who introduced this year’s beverage container recycling bill, hopes the beverage industry is right when it says there are better ways to deal with containers and recycling. But she wants the bottle bill passed as a backup.
"If the industry can come up with a better solution and a cheaper solution, we ought to give them a chance," said Morita, D-12th (E. Maui, N. Kaua‘i).
The bottle bill, House Bill 1256, House Draft 1, would require a 5-cent refundable deposit on most plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers, and 15 cents on containers larger than 20 ounces.
Its supporters hope it will reduce litter and increase the rate of recycling in Hawai‘i. Opponents, primarily in the food and beverage industry, suggest it is an expensive, cumbersome system.
"We should have unified systems that address all waste, not just beverage containers," said Judith Thorman, vice president for state and local affairs with the National Soft Drink Association.
Morita said her staff is rewriting the beverage container recycling bill, now before the House Finance Committee, to allow the industry to propose an alternative plan. She said she expects the Finance Committee to schedule a hearing on the bill this week.
One idea is to pass a bottle bill but delay implementation pending development of an industry solution. Morita said she is skeptical that an alternative will be found that is more effective than a deposit-return system.
"What would work is curbside recycling, but all the counties have already determined that curbside recycling is too expensive," she said. "And whatever plan we develop has to be workable for all the islands, not just O‘ahu."
Morita said promoting the recycling of beverage containers is increasingly important as more beverages are coming in plastic containers.
"The movement from aluminum cans to plastic is troubling. Now we’re already seeing plastic beer cans," she said.
