S.B. 587 Summary

• Department of health must update co-composting rules by January 1, 2023, and every ten years thereafter to reflect current practices and reduce regulatory barriers for small to midsize composting operations

• Department of health must establish a multi-tiered registration and permitting system with three tiers: exclusion tier (exempt from permitting for operations under specified volume and feedstock limits), reporting/registration tier (for mid-sized operations), and full permitting tier (for large or high-risk operations handling dead animals, biosolids, or mixed solid waste)

• Exclusion tier includes composting of up to 500 cubic yards on-site with up to 10% food material by volume, vermicomposting, mushroom farming, non-commercial food co-composting under one cubic yard per day, and in-vessel composting under 50 cubic yards

• Allows composting and co-composting operations as permitted uses within agricultural districts statewide

• Aims to divert food waste from landfills to support Hawaii's sustainability goals including 70% waste reduction by 2030 and doubled local food production targets