Mayor says he is inclined to sign plastic bill ban

Mayor Kirk Caldwell likely will sign a bill passed by the City Council that would bar supermarkets and other retailers from distributing plastic and compostable bags at the checkout counter beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the mayor told the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser late Wednesday.

The city has had a plastic bag ban in place since July 1, 2015, but Bill 59 (2016), passed unanimously earlier Wednesday, was designed to close a loophole in the law that allowed for handing out thicker plastic bags of 2.25-thousandths of an inch thick. Environmental groups argued that the thicker bags are worse for sea turtles and other ocean creatures than the standard “T-shirt bags” banned in 2015.

Introduced last fall, the bill has gone through five drafts as Council members attempted to appease both environmental groups and business organizations concerned about the economics of a total ban.

The original draft, introduced by Councilman Brandon Elefante, called for a total ban by 2018. But as late as last month, a draft of the bill called for allowing the thicker plastic bags to continue to be distributed indefinitely for a fee.

Under the provisions of the version passed Wednesday, the bill would be implemented in two phases. The thicker bags would be allowed at checkouts through Dec. 31, 2019, under the stipulation that retailers would need to charge customers a minimum of 15 cents for each bag. The absolute ban would then take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

Small-business interests said they needed more time to use up their existing stock, as well as educate the public about the change.

Members of the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Retail Merchants of Haw­aii testified in support of the bill Wednesday, joined by members of the Surfrider Foundation, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii in what advocates on both sides described as a “‘Kumbaya’ moment.”

Several Council members praised Councilwoman Carol Fukunaga, chairwoman of the Public Works, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee, for working with all sides to come up with the compromise.

The only concern raised was by BEACH members who said while they support the bill, they would have preferred it not allow plastic bags to continue to be distributed at farmers markets and for carryout prepared foods such as plate lunches.

Other exemptions also remain, including allowing plastic bags for “loose” items such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and coffee, frozen foods and potted plants, bakery goods, medications and home-delivered newspapers.

Caldwell, during the brief conversation with the Star-Advertiser, said he supported the bill in principle, and is inclined to sign it, but wants city attorneys to review it first.