HB 895 - Organic Waste Diversion

• Establishes a new definition of "organic waste" including green waste, food waste, food-soiled paper, and untreated wood waste in Hawaii's solid waste management statutes.

• Updates the State's waste reduction goals to achieve 40% reduction by January 1, 2025, and 70% reduction by January 1, 2030 (replacing previous targets of 25% by 1995 and 50% by 2000).

• Creates specific organic waste diversion benchmarks requiring large food vendors, hotels, and entities generating over 104 tons annually to divert waste by 2025; restaurants and state agencies generating over 26 tons annually by 2030; and multifamily complexes generating over 18 tons annually by 2034.

• Establishes a goal to ban all organic waste (including from single-family residences) from landfills and cogeneration plants by January 1, 2035.

• Requires counties to incorporate organic waste diversion goals into their integrated solid waste management plans and assess the feasibility of meeting these diversion targets.