REJECTION OF BOTTLE BILL SENDS WRONG MESSAGE

Hawaii recently became the 11^th state to adopt a Beverage Container Law (or Bottle Bill.)  However, Governor Lingle has expressed a desire to have it repealed before it can be put into action.

This situation reflects poorly on the people of Hawaii.  It says one of three things; either Hawaiians don’t care about their land or we think we are smarter than those people who have adopted Bottle Bills or we are unable to implement a Bottle Bill that will work.

I recommend we give the bill a try.  No other state has ever repealed a Bottle Bill.  The average recovery rate for beverage containers in States that have implemented Bottle Bills is 80% while States without them recover less than the National average of 41%.  That sounds like a good track record to me.

We certainly need something!  Given our inability to move any plastic beverage bottles off Maui over the last year and a half, we would definitely benefit from a proven container recycling program.  California recovers 34% of their plastic beverage bottles with the help of their Bottle Bill.

I find it sad that Hawaii continues to place the economy over the environment.  We are measuring our lives in dollars, not sense.  I’m afraid that the government won’t take positive action until our islands begin to look like Manhattan island.  Unfortunately, by then it will be too late.

Camille Armantrout