Environmental Law Class – Mock Legislative Hearing – «GreetingLine» – November 25, 2008 – Page 1
(MOCK TESTIMONY)
Statement of Jamila Jarmon
Representing
Maui Recycling Group
Before the
HOUSE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
1:30 P.M.
Capitol Room 309B/309A
In consideration of
HOUSE BILL 4
RELATING TO RECYCLING
Chair Morita and members of the committee,
My name is Jamila Jarmon and I respectfully submit this testimony on behalf of the Maui
Recycling Group. We strongly support this bills passage. Our mission is to provide public
education, research, training, and technical assistance to encourage environmentally and
economically sound solid waste resource management systems in the County of Maui and the
State of Hawaii. Maui Recycling Group believes that this bill helps us further our mission and
encourages the state to effectively manage the waste we create.
In the 2002 legislative session, Senators Matsunaga, Chun-Oakland, and Chumbley introduced
curbside recycling bill. The bill switched chambers and made it to committee, however
Representative Calvin Say stated curbside programs were not effective and that redemption
schemes were better; he took out the curbside component out of the bill. The bill, subsequently,
was not passed. The Pilot programs in Mililani and Hawaii Kai have proven that curbside
schemes can work and people do participate in them. On Maui, there is curbside recycling
provided by Maui Recycling Service for the past 17 years. However, this is a private company
that charges residents per month. This service shows there are residents that would use a
curbside recycling program if it was available and a service the government should provide free
of charge provide. Legislators now have more information to rely on, unlike in 2002.
Legislators should now believe in the feasibility of curbside recycling programs even more now
and use this knowledge to pass this bill.
Maui County includes the Islands of Maui, Lana`i and Moloka`i, which presents a challenge of
implementing curbside pickup on three different islands. However, the bill specifically gives
each county the ability to tailor a plan that fits, to make curbside recycling easy for their
residents. Maui counties waste stream is to four landfills, two on Maui and one on both Lana`i
and Moloka`i. There are recycling locations at various stores on Maui, Lana`i and Moloka`i
residents, but curbside pickup is for ease and encourages more people to recycle. There is no
county run curbside program in Maui County, however according to Maui County’s Solid Waste
Management Plan, curbside programs would help to make recycling more efficient and into a
Environmental Law Class – Mock Legislative Hearing – «GreetingLine» – November 25, 2008 – Page 2
single waste stream. Maui County recognizes the worth of a curbside recycling program and this
bill could mandate the counties implementation of a curbside recycling program that is sufficient
for residents of their county.
Our goal at the Maui Recycling group is not only to encourage environmentally and
economically sound solid waste resource management systems in the County of Maui, but also in
the State of Hawaii. The only way to insure a unified approach throughout the state and to
appropriate allocation of resources, management of contracts and the overall efficiency of the
program is to have legislation that is explicit and applies to all. That is the only way to ensure an
economically sound solid waste plan. The goal of the state is to reduce waste statewide. It is
best to allow each county to implement plans that adhere to a specific set of criteria and goals set
by the state and in addition plans that work within their communities. However, allowing each
county to independently set standards and goals and choose whether they will even implement a
program is counterproductive to the goals of the state to reduce overall waste. Counties may set
different goals, which affects program efficiency and productivity of overall state goals. On
many islands, landfills are quickly reaching their capacity. The solution is not more landfills.
On Oahu, the solution to the program was shipping waste elsewhere; shipping our waste does not
fix the problem, it is a temporary solution that will need a permanent plan of action. The State
Legislature, which represents all those in the state, is the best equipped to provide a program that
takes into account all areas of each island and island wide sentiments. The goal of the curbside
project is to reduce waste in the state and legislation could insure the successful completion of
this goal.
Maui Recycling Group also believes the bill gives adequate directions on system requirements.
These requirements are seen in the models in this state from the pilot programs on Oahu.
However, implementing a statewide program would be new territory, but with the discretion
given to county to implement programs that suit their residents within the guidelines set by the
state, it is still feasible. We also believe it is best to have the state as administer setting goals and
criteria, but allowing counties to find the right way to implement with their residents. It is very
important that counties retain their autonomy for their residents and this is why we strongly
support this bill. Counties are able to establish curbside recycling programs that work for their
communities. Hawaii can be the model for all states. Using the pilot programs from Mililani
and Hawaii Kai on Oahu, and Maui Recycling Service, legislators could devise a plan that would
set standards that will help counties implement and slowly expand the current curbside recycling
programs helping them seamlessly go from neighborhood curbside pickup to statewide curbside
pickup in a few years. We believe this bill helps furthers the mission of our organization.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. We respectfully request your help in passing this bill.
Sincerely,
Jamila Jarmon
Maui Recycling Group
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