HB 1326 Summary

• Establishes the Hawaii Zero Waste Initiative within the Department of Health with the goal of zero waste sent to landfills or incineration, transitioning from a linear to circular waste economy.

• Creates the Packaging Waste Advisory Council composed of state and county representatives, environmental experts, producers, and recycling businesses to advise on packaging reduction and recycling programs.

• Allows producers to form a nonprofit producer responsibility organization to collaborate on reducing and reusing packaging and provide recommendations to the department on infrastructure needs.

• Requires the Department of Health to conduct a statewide needs assessment and develop a proposal for a producer-funded packaging reduction, reuse, and recycling program to achieve a 70% reduction in packaging waste by 2035.

• Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to establish and manage the packaging waste advisory council, with proposed legislation due to the legislature by December 31, 2026.