Hawaiian Isles Water fined $14K for HI-5 program violations

The state Health Department has fined Hawaiian Isles Water Co. of Aiea $14,400 for delinquent reports and payments to its Hawaii Deposit Beverage Container Program for four months in 2017.

The company must pay an administrative penalty fee of $14,400 in addition to the monthly amounts owed to the state from August to November of last year. Beverage distributors must submit payments and reports to the program for all HI-5 containers sold within the state.

“Distributors can avoid serious penalties by responding to reminders from the state and submitting their payments and reports on time,” said DBC program manager Darren Park. “Late distributor payments and reports affect program funds and our ability to reimburse recycling companies for containers redeemed and recycled each year.”

Hawaii Revised Statutes 342G-105, also known as the “bottle bill law,” requires beverage distributors to submit monthly reports and payments to the Health Department no later than the 15th calendar day of the month following the end of the payment period. Hawaiian Isles Water Co. received multiple written notices reminding them of reporting and payment requirements prior to being assessed a penalty, the department said.

The program funds are used to recycle more than 600 million containers redeemed in the state each year, as well as to certify independent recycling companies to operate redemption centers that refund Hawaii consumers with the 5-cent deposit fee paid for eligible containers.