The state's new beverage container law is the most prominent of several new laws that take effect with the new year.

The governor, state lawmakers and other public officials will have to take ethics training; soldiers in the Hawai'i National Guard and reserve forces will get a tax break; and disposal fees will increase at H-Power, transfer stations and landfills.

The Legislature approved the beverage container law in 2002, and revised it last session, and state officials, retailers and environmentalists will be watching its progress.

Consumers in October began paying a 1-cent fee on beverage containers; that fee goes to the state to operate the program. Consumers started paying a 5-cent fee in November. People can get their nickels back by returning bottles and cans to redemption centers across the Islands starting Jan. 1. There are at least 20 redemption centers on O'ahu.

Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club's Hawai'i chapter, said he is disappointed that large grocery stores are so far not volunteering as redemption centers. He said it would be more convenient for people to go to the stores with their recycling than a redemption center.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's going to work that way," Mikulina said.

Laura Lott, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, which is overseeing the program, said the biggest challenge may be getting people to realize that containers can be redeemed. She also said large stores may eventually participate: "Some retailers may look at it as an opportunity."

House Republicans said they will work next session to transfer the program from the state to the counties, which already deal with trash collection and, these Republicans believe, are in better position to back recycling. The move would end the need to charge consumers the 1-cent fee that goes to the state.

"It's only logical that they integrate bottle deposit programs into their total effort," said House Minority Leader Galen Fox, R-23rd (Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaka'ako).

Under another new law, the governor, lieutenant governor, department heads, lawmakers, state school board members and Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees will have to complete ethics training.

Dan Mollway, executive director of the Hawai'i State Ethics Commission, has scheduled several two-hour sessions in January at which public officials will go over the state ethics code and lobbying law, including gift and financial disclosure provisions. Mollway already has been offering ethics workshops, and has been invited to brief state lawmakers in the past, but he said the workshops typically attract lower-level state workers.

State Sen. Les Ihara, D-9th (Kapahulu, Kaimuki, Palolo), said lawmakers and their staffs should be made well aware of ethics law. "I think it's long overdue," he said.

Out of concern for National Guard troops and reservists deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, lawmakers also approved an income-tax deduction on pay equal to 12 weekends and 15 days of annual duty.

And, starting in January, businesses and city, state and federal agencies will begin paying higher disposal fees. The unit charge per ton will increase from $72.25 to $81 at H-Power, from $98.75 to $110.60 at transfer stations, and from $72.25 to $81 at landfills.