STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1691

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 205

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 205 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO EXAMINE EXISTING AND ALLEGED VIOLATIONS IN THE SOLID WASTE RECYCLING INDUSTRY AND FAIRLY AND EQUALLY ENFORCE APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS FOR ALL COMPANIES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Health:

 

     (1)  Examine existing and alleged violations in the solid waste recycling industry and fairly and equally enforce applicable laws and regulations for all companies; and

 

     (2)  Provide a complaining or interested party with information regarding the status and results of any investigation, resulting penalty, or order for corrective action.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Schnitzer Steel.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committees find that the Department of Health is authorized to enforce laws and regulations to protect and improve the health and safety of the citizens of Hawaii and the environment.  These laws and regulations are intended to regulate, among other things, the operations of companies in the solid waste recycling industry to ensure that operations are conducted in a responsible and safe manner and do not present increased risks to the health of Hawaii's citizens or to the environment.  However, there have been reports of Hawaii's solid waste recycling facilities committing numerous violations of these laws and regulations over time.  An examination of all alleged violations in the solid waste recycling industry and equitable enforcement of pertinent laws and rules will ensure that a company's operations are conducted in a responsible and safe manner and discourage unlawful conduct.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting language regarding the importance and value of the management of waste through solid waste recycling and alternative means of waste disposal, including donation, compost, biofuel production, anaerobic digestion, and thermal combustion of organic material.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 205, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor, in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 205, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Health,

 

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair