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Hawaii

Name Solid Waste Management; Deposit Beverage Container Law (Act 176)
Enacted 6/25/2002
Implemented 1/1/2005
Beverages Covered all nonalcoholic drinks, except for milk or dairy products, and limited alcoholic drinks (beer, malt beverages, mixed spirits, mixed wine).
Containers Covered Aluminum, bi-metal, glass, plastic (PET and HDPE only) up to 68 oz.
Amount of Deposit 5¢
Reclamation System Certified Redemption Centers (CRCs) operated by privately owned by State permitted Solid Waste facilities (c)
Handling Fee Variable fee of 2–4¢ paid to redemption centers from the Deposit Beverage Container Fund. [r]
Other Fees 1¢ non-refundable "container fee" (added to price of beverage) paid to Deposit Beverage Container fund to help pay redemption centers handling fees. [d]
Unredeemed Deposits Property of state: used for program administration
Program Success Redemption rate of 76% from July 2010 through June 2011[q]

Details

Some notes about the Hawaii deposit law: Redemption centers must submit reports regularly, Refund may be calculated by weight.

Hawaii charges a nonrefundable "deposit beverage container fee" in addition to the 5¢ refundable deposit. This fee is used to pay the redemption centers' handling fees, which are equal to the container fee except in the case of glass. The container fee is set at 1¢, but the law requires it to be changed to 1.5¢ should the redemption rate any given year exceed 70%. However, the Director of the program is authorized to suspend any increase in this fee if the size of the deposit beverage container fund is sufficient to maintain operations. This has been done, and the fee stays at 1¢.

In September 2008, the Department of Health changed the handling fee that is paid out to redemption centers for glass containers. After the change, glass containers that were destined for remanufacturing applications receive a 4¢ fee, and glass containers destined for industrial or agricultural applications receive a 2¢ fee.

Footnotes

[c] Retailer exemptions vary depending on local population density, proximity to a redemption center, and store size.

[d] Fee funds redemption center operations. Fee based on the previous year's recycling rate: if previous quarter's rate is less than 70%, the fee is 1¢/container, otherwise it shall change to 1.5¢.

[q] Source: Hawaii Department of Health. "Participation in HI-5 Recycling Program Remains Strong; No Container Fee Increase" August 1, 2011

[r] 4¢ for glass to be used in remanufacturing applications, 2¢ for glass to be used in construction & agriculture applications. Source: Hawaii Department of Health. "Handling Fee Adjustment For Glass Deposit Containers." September 9, 2008
Handling fees for aluminum, bi-metal, and plastic are 2¢ for Oahu and 3¢ for neighbor islands. Source: email communication with Jennifer Tosaki. July 6, 2010

Updated August 14, 2011