STAND. COM. REP. NO. 521

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 368
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 368 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
     OCCUPANCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the Director of
Health from issuing a permit for a medical waste incinerator that
is located within one mile of any residential dwelling.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Health (DOH), Stonecraft, Akamai Builders,
Inc., and six private citizens.

     Your Committee believes that medical waste incinerators
pollute the air in the surrounding area.  For example, residents
of Kalihi report that a recent medical waste incinerator emits a
noxious odor that causes physical discomfort.  This measure is
intended to prevent those occurrences.

     Your Committee notes the comments of the DOH that a one-mile
buffer zone for residents from any medical waste incinerator or
medical waste sterilizer will severely restrict or eliminate
viable locations for these facilities.  The only areas left are
probably remote areas on neighbor islands.  However, your
Committee believes that it is incumbent upon the State to protect
the health and safety of the public, even if it means locating

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 521
                                   Page 2


these facilities in remote areas which your Committee feels is
more appropriate anyway.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 368 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Labor and Environment.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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