Recycle Hawaiʻi helped champion County Bill 83 — landmark legislation requiring Hawaiʻi Island food businesses to transition away from single-use plastic and polystyrene foodware. Now, we are at the forefront of making that vision a reality.
On December 3, 2025, the Hawaiʻi County Council passed Bill 83 with a unanimous eight-vote majority, requiring food providers, county facility users, and organizations to replace disposable plastic and polystyrene foodware with either reusable options or compostable products certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA).
The bill was introduced by Council Members Rebecca Villegas and Michelle Galimba and reflects years of organizing, education, and advocacy by organizations like Recycle Hawaiʻi. Justin Canelas, Recycle Hawaiʻi’s Operations Director, testified in support of the bill, drawing on both his professional expertise and his personal experience as a restaurant owner who had already made the switch to certified compostable containers. Executive Director Kristine Kubat also submitted written testimony citing Recycle Hawaiʻi’s track record in securing grants to help businesses transition to compostable serviceware.
Critically, it was Recycle Hawaiʻi’s youth leaders at Kaʻu High School who provided one of the most powerful demonstrations of what’s possible: their in-vessel composting unit, nicknamed Ho’ouli, processes approximately 100 pounds of food waste every school day, producing nutrient-rich soil within 24 hours. Students from the school testified before the Council, helping tip the vote. As Council Member Villegas said in deliberations: “If our high school students can do it and have soil 24 hours later, we need to get there, too.”
- Bill 83 passed unanimously with eight votes on December 3, 2025 — a historic win for Zero Waste policy on Hawaiʻi Island
- Recycle Hawaiʻi’s Operations Director Justin Canelas testified in support, drawing on firsthand restaurant experience implementing certified compostable containers
- Youth leaders from Kaʻu High School demonstrated the power of in-vessel composting and provided compelling public testimony
- More than 500 small businesses on Hawaiʻi Island have already voluntarily made the switch to sustainable foodware — proving the model works
- The Ho’ouli composting unit processes ~100 lbs of food waste per school day and has kept more than 20,000 pounds of waste out of the West Hawaiʻi landfill since 2024
Bill 83 is a landmark step forward — but passing legislation is only the beginning. Recycle Hawaiʻi is now working to help businesses, schools, and community organizations navigate the transition: connecting them with certified compostable suppliers, helping secure grant funding for infrastructure, and building the community composting systems needed to close the loop. The real work — turning this policy win into lasting behavior change and infrastructure — starts now.
Support composting infrastructure and help Hawaiʻi Island businesses make the Zero Waste transition.
