H.B. 2562 Summary

• Prohibits retail sale or offering for retail sale of single-use plastic bottles designed to hold less than two liters of bottled water for oral consumption, effective January 1, 2025.

• Exempts plastic bottles containing bottled water needed for emergency response and public health and safety purposes from the prohibition.

• Amends Section 342H-42 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to add subsection (b) establishing the prohibition while maintaining existing labeling requirements for plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers.

• Addresses concerns that over 15 million metric tons of plastic enter world oceans annually and that plastic in the ocean is predicted to outweigh fish by 2050 unless significant changes are made.