S.C.R. No. 172 Summary

• Department of Health requested to establish a Demolition Waste Reduction Working Group to address construction and demolition waste, which constitutes 21-40% of landfill mass nationwide and is a major contributor to Hawaii's solid waste crisis.

• Working group tasked with identifying solutions to reduce construction and demolition waste statewide, scaling deconstruction and materials reuse, supporting circular construction economy growth, and aligning with Hawaii's carbon neutrality goals (Act 15, SLH 2018) and environmental justice objectives.

• Working group membership to include Director of Health, Comptroller, and private sector representatives from construction, demolition/deconstruction, reuse retail, real estate development, historic preservation, architecture, urban planning, and waste management industries.

• Working group invited to include community organizations with expertise in workforce development, public policy, and environmental justice, and directed to study best practices from circular economy programs in Denmark, Netherlands, and other global leaders.

• Annual reports with findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation due to the Legislature no later than 20 days before each regular session, detailing successes and opportunities for advancing the circular construction economy.