SB391 establishes an End-of-Life Lithium-ion Battery Management Working Group within the Hawaii State Energy Office. The working group is directed to study how the state can better manage discarded lithium-ion batteries, including best practices, safety and environmental concerns, cost comparisons between in-state and out-of-state recycling, the feasibility of overseas recycling, and the infrastructure and enforcement needs for a potential statewide recycling program.
The measure also specifies a broad membership for the working group, including state energy and health officials, county waste management and fire department representatives, and invited participants from battery and electronics manufacturing, e-waste recycling, shipping, insurance, retail, extended producer responsibility organizations, environmental groups, the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, and consumer electronics repair. The group must submit a report with findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature before the 2026 regular session, and it is set to dissolve on June 30, 2026.
The bill does not immediately create a recycling mandate or regulate battery disposal directly; instead, it establishes a temporary advisory and study body to develop recommendations for future legislation. Its practical effect is to place lithium-ion battery recycling and end-of-life management within the Hawaii State Energy Office and to require interagency and industry consultation on possible policy options. If the working group’s recommendations are adopted later, the bill could lead to new state requirements affecting battery retailers, manufacturers, recyclers, waste haulers, counties, and other parties involved in battery collection and disposal.
The bill appears to have received generally favorable early committee support, passing the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee and the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee without opposition in recorded votes. That suggests broad agreement on the need to study lithium-ion battery waste management and recycling options. However, the later recommendation from the EEP committee to defer the measure indicates that, while the concept was acceptable, there may have been reservations about timing, scope, or the need for additional work before advancing the proposal.
The main points of contention likely center on whether Hawaii should pursue in-state recycling infrastructure, send batteries out of state, or consider overseas recycling options, as well as who should bear the costs and compliance burdens of any future program. The bill’s focus on enforcement, insurance, shipping, and extended producer responsibility suggests potential debate over regulatory design and liability. Stakeholders most likely to have differing views include battery manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, waste shipping interests, environmental advocates, and county agencies responsible for public safety and waste management.