HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

620

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to environmental protection.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that protecting Hawaii's consumers from false or fraudulent advertising is essential to ensuring a fair market for all businesses and competitors.  Many plastic products are now compostable and biodegradable and thus do not remain as trash when discarded.  However, other products have been deceptively marketed to consumers as compostable and biodegradable.  These products are actually composed of between thirty-four to ninety-seven per cent plastic, which eventually breaks down into microplastics, which cannot be seen or cleaned up and which have been found to accumulate in organisms and animals, thereby endangering the food chain.

     The legislature further finds that ensuring truth in advertising and differentiating between compostable products and non-compostable products is crucial to protecting our environment, ensuring a fair business market, and protecting Hawaii's consumers.

     The purpose of this Act is to join other states that already require plastic products marketed as biodegradable, degradable, decomposable, or compostable, or in any way imply that the product will break down, to meet the American Society for Testing and Materials' specifications for compostability.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 342H, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§342H-    Plastic products; labeling.  (a)  No plastic products shall be labeled as "biodegradable", "degradable", "decomposable", or "compostable", or any form of these terms, unless they meet ASTM D6400.

     (b)  No plastic products shall be labeled in any way to imply that they will biodegrade, decompose, break down, or fragment in a landfill or other environment, unless they meet ASTM D6400.

     (c)  Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), plastic products that have been certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute may be labeled using the Biodegradable Products Institute's logo.

     (d)  A person who violates this section shall be fined $         for each separate violation.  Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate violation.

     (e)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement this section.

     (f)  As used in this section:

     "ASTM D6400" means the specifications for compostability of the American Society for Testing and Materials.

     "Consumer product" means a product or part of a product that is used, bought, or leased for use by a person for any purpose.

     "Plastic product" means a product made of plastic, alone or in combination with other material.  A plastic product includes but is not limited to any of the following:

     (1)  A consumer product;

     (2)  A package or packing component;

     (3)  A bag, sack, wrap, or other product made of thin plastic sheet film; or

     (4)  A food or beverage container, or a container component, including a straw, lid, or eating utensil."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2016.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Biodegradable Plastic Products

 

Description:

Requires plastic products labeled as biodegradable, degradable, decomposable, or compostable to meet ASTM D6400 standards.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.