RELATING TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS.
SB1020 would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2026, businesses in Hawaii that sell food or beverages for individual consumption on their premises from using, selling, or distributing disposable or single-use plastic food ware and beverage service items, including cups, lids, plates, bowls, clamshells, trays, and similar containers. The bill also bars those businesses from using single-use food ware or beverage service items that contain regulated PFAS, a class of chemicals often used to make packaging greaseproof or waterproof.
The bill creates limited exemptions for reusable or refillable containers, for compostable plastics only when there is regional collection access and a local facility that actively accepts and processes them, and for emergency packaging authorized by a county during an emergency. It defines key terms such as business, plastic, compostable plastics, reusable/refillable, single-use, and PFAS, and it places enforcement with the department, which may order compliance, seek injunctive relief, and impose daily fines of $100 to $1,000 for continued violations.
The bill would amend Chapter 342H, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new section regulating disposable food service ware and PFAS in food packaging. It would create a statewide restriction on certain single-use plastic and PFAS-containing items used by food and beverage businesses, while preserving use of reusable, refillable, and qualifying compostable alternatives. The measure would also authorize administrative and civil enforcement by the department and establish penalties for noncompliance.
The bill text reflects a strongly supportive environmental and public-health rationale, emphasizing marine debris, litter, microplastics, cleanup costs, and PFAS exposure risks. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from hearings or floor action in the supplied materials. The bill’s referral to CPN/AEN and JDC suggests it was still in the committee review stage as of the last action date.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be the scope of the ban, the feasibility of compliance for restaurants and other food vendors, and whether compostable plastics should be treated as an acceptable substitute. The bill narrows the compostable exemption by requiring both regional collection access and a local facility that actually processes the material, which could be disputed by businesses or waste stakeholders in areas without that infrastructure. Another likely issue is the PFAS restriction, which may raise questions about product testing, enforcement, and the availability and cost of alternative packaging.