Few favor recycling fee hike

Officials should not implement a half-cent increase without a new state audit, critics say

By Rob Perez

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 17, 2012

~~<p>Raising concerns about the financial viability of the state's beverage container recycling program, Department of Health officials plan to increase the nonrefundable handling fee paid by consumers, retailers and the beverage industry despite opposition from those groups and legislators.</p>
<p>Even though the planned increase would be only half a cent per container, or a 50 percent jump, opponents say the agency shouldn't change any fees until an independent audit is done to ensure numerous accountability problems identified in 2005 by state Auditor Marion Higa have been corrected.</p>
~~

Raising concerns about the financial viability of the state's beverage container recycling program, Department of Health officials plan to increase the nonrefundable handling fee paid by consumers, retailers and the beverage industry despite opposition from those groups and legislators.

Even though the planned increase would be only half a cent per container, or a 50 percent jump, opponents say the agency shouldn't change any fees until an independent audit is done to ensure numerous accountability problems identified in 2005 by state Auditor Marion Higa have been corrected. Login for more...