Hawaii County Council Meeting Summary - December 3, 2025

The Hawaii County Council convened on December 3, 2025, at 9:02 a.m. to address the adoption of a landmark plastic reduction bill following extensive public testimony from residents, students, and business representatives. The meeting also featured ceremonial recognitions for a state championship cross-country team and a community-oriented police officer, alongside the approval of multiple routine resolutions and budget adjustments.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution 384-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) to award $4.1 million to Hawaiian Community Assets for property acquisition (subject to later concerns raised by a private citizen regarding the organization's leadership).
• Resolution 400-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) for a five-year lease for mailing system equipment.
• Resolution 401-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) for $5,000 to fund the 2025 Magic of the Season holiday open house.
• Resolution 402-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) for $5,000 grant to Pet Fix for spay/neuter clinics.
• Resolution 403-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) for $10,000 for the Noho Cup Tournament expenses.
• Resolution 404-25: Approved (8-0, 1 excused) for $5,000 to Food Basket Inc. for community harvest stands.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Support for Bill 83 (Plastic Ban):

  • Jason Higa (CEO, Zippy's Restaurants): Expressed concern that the current bill is too restrictive; urged a delay in passing until composting infrastructure exists and requested inclusion of ASTM standards rather than specific brand certifications to maintain market diversity and economic resilience.
  • Mayor Kimo Alameda: Expressed strong opposition to Bill 83 in its current form. He argued the bill would double costs for businesses (e.g., forks and cups), unfairly benefit the bill's drafter, and create an unenforceable mandate requiring "plastic police" without necessary infrastructure.
  • John Pelletier & Nancy Posechio: Testified that Bill 63 (Mixed-Use Zoning) lacks sufficient affordable housing requirements and fails to include parks/recreation, which would lead to urban sprawl.
  • Josephine Kelly (IPO): Stated opposition to Bill 63, citing the lack of a community development plan for Hilo and recent fires as reasons to pause zoning changes.
  • Nick Doyle: Expressed opposition to Bill 83 based on a lack of proper composting infrastructure; warned that PLA bioplastics may fragment into microplastics in landfills without industrial processing.
  • Nicole Larson (Founder, Circular Hawaii): Expressed strong opposition to Bill 83 Draft 2, characterizing it as a "greenwashing campaign" and arguing that bioplastics still cause pollution without effective end-of-life management.
  • Georgine Adams: Expressed concern that the bill promotes reuse only if infrastructure exists, warning against misleading consumers on environmental claims.

• Support for Bill 83 (Plastic Ban):

  • Matt Binder, Andrew Shanus, Abby Tracy (WorldCentric), and Stella Black: All expressed full support for Bill 83. Andrew Shanus stated he is "100 percent in support of the idea behind this bill." Abby Tracy and Stella Black, along with multiple students (including Kania, Alina, Tashlyn, and others from KAOU), emphasized the environmental devastation of plastic and the need for immediate action to protect the Aina and marine life.
  • Christina Holt and Christine Kubat: Expressed full support, criticizing the Mayor's memo for lacking data and calling the "waiting for infrastructure" argument a stall tactic.
  • David Pang: Expressed support for Bill 83 but requested amendments to include all ASTM certifications (not just BPI/CMA) to ensure fair access for all manufacturers.
  • Alicia Ulukauakane and Students (Malama Aina Compostables): Expressed strong support, highlighting successful local composting efforts and the impending landfill capacity crisis.
  • Sierra Club Island Group: Expressed strong support, urging the council to pass the bill and build infrastructure if needed.

Discussion Items

• Bill 83 Draft 2 (Plastic and Polystyrene Waste):

  • Debate on Infrastructure: Councilmembers and Department of Environmental Management (DEM) representatives discussed the "infrastructure argument." Councilmember Viegas and others argued that policy drives innovation, noting other counties passed similar bills without industrial composting facilities first. DEM officials acknowledged the complexity but maintained a position against the timeline given current facility gaps.
  • Controversy over DEM Memo: Councilmember Houstis and Councilmember Viegas raised serious concerns regarding a 45-day memo from DEM. They noted a factual error citing a non-existent HRS section (205M instead of 201), the late submission of the memo, and the DEM's failure to consult the Office of Sustainability, Climate Equity, and Resilience (OSCAR) during the review process. Deputy Director Alex White and Deputy Corporation Counsel Diana Mellon Lacey clarified the typo and confirmed the review process, though Viegas expressed disappointment at the lack of collaboration.
  • Amendment Proposal: Councilmember Houstis proposed an amendment (Communication 482.17) to the bill. The amendment sought to remove specific references to BPI and CMA certifications and instead allow any third-party certification compliant with ASTM standards D6400, D6868, or D8410 (including NSF, TUV, and others) to ensure competitive market access for all vendors.
  • Revisions: The Council debated the definition of "reusable foodware." The Mayor and DEM representatives suggested allowing translucent plastics for alcohol containers in certain events, but Councilmember Viegas and others declined to add loopholes that might weaken the ban on single-use plastics.

• Bill 63 (Mixed-Use Zoning):

  • Councilmember O'Nishi moved to postpone this bill to the January 7th meeting to allow for further review of amendments regarding affordable housing and park access.

• Bill 107 (Fire Code):

  • Councilmember Houstis moved to postpone to the December 17th meeting for additional review.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 83 (Plastic Ban): Approved at second and final reading via a roll call vote of 8-0 (Councilmember Kleinfelder excused). The bill was amended to allow compostable products certified by any third-party entity compliant with ASTM standards D6400, D6868, or D8410, rather than restricting it to only BPI or CMA certifications.
• Bill 63 (Zoning): Postponed to January 7, 2026.
• Bill 107 (Fire Code): Postponed to December 17, 2026.
• Bills Approved (Second/Final Reading): Bill 89 (Civil Defense Administrator experience requirements), Bill 97, Bill 98, Bill 99, Bill 100, Bill 102, and Bill 104 (Budget amendments) were all approved unanimously (8-0, 1 excused).
• Bills Approved (First Reading): Bill 105 and Bill 106 (Budget amendments/revisions) were approved unanimously.
• Recognitions: The Council presented a certificate to the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Boys Cross-Country team for their state championship and the Java Award to Officer Ivan Alatan for his compassionate community policing efforts.
• Mourning: A moment of silence was observed for the late Steve Hirakami.
• Adjournment: The meeting concluded at 10:02 a.m. with holiday announcements and well-wishes.