Plastic Bans

Foodservice Ware
Bill 52 / Ordinance 5084 became effective March 1, 2022. The bill bans the sale, use, and offering of plastic, disposable foodware. Foodware is defined as food service containers and utensils. The following are the main exemptions to the ban: Foodware used for raw or butchered meats, poultry, fish, seafood, unprepared produce, or eggs.

Prepackaged food
The bill also requires disposable foodware to only be provided upon request, affirmative response, or in a self-service area or dispenser. View the full text of the ordinance.

Polystyrene Foam Food Service Containers
Ordinance No. 4457 was signed into law June 5th, 2017 and became effective December 31, 2018. The ordinance bans the sale or use of polystyrene foam food service containers. View the full text of the ordinance.

Plastic Bags
Ordinance No. 3587 was signed into law on August 25th, 2008 and went into effect on January 11th, 2011. The ordinance bans the distribution of plastic bags at checkout. Businesses are only allowed to provide recyclable paper and reusable bags to their customers at checkout. The following are the definitions for recyclable paper and reusable bags:

Recyclable Paper Bag

• Is 100% recyclable

• Contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content

• Displays the words "reusable" and "recyclable" on the paper bag

Reusable Bag

• Bag specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse

• Made of cloth or other machine washable fabric or is made of a durable material suitable for reuse (Plastic bags are considered reusable if the bags have handles and are at least 3 mils thick)

The following are exemptions to the ban:

• Bags without handles, designed and used solely for protection of food products, property, or preventing contamination (ex. raw meat, poultry, seafood, and bakery packaging)

• Bags without handles, designed and used solely for bulk food packaging

• Bags designed and used solely for protecting garments

• Bags used for dispensing prescription drugs

To learn more about the ordinance, visit the Maui County website.

The following are products that Island Plastic Bags can provide that comply with the ban: paper bags and reusable die cut bags (3 mils thick).

For more information about bags sold by Island Plastic Bags, Inc., contact us.

Foam Coolers

Ordinance No. 5237 was signed into law August 9, 2021 and becomes effective January 1, 2022. The ordinance bans the sale or use of foam coolers. View the full text of the ordinance.

Foodservice Ware
Bill 2775 became effective January 1, 2022. The bill bans the sale, use, and offering of polystyrene foam food service containers. Food service containers are defined as all plates, trays, cups, bowls, cartons, and hinged or lidded containers (clamshells). The following are the main exemptions to the ban:

• Food packaged outside of the county

• Food containers used for raw or butchered meats, poultry, fish, or eggs unless provided for consumption without further food preparation (ex. sashimi and poke)

View the full text of the ordinance.

Plastic Bags
Ordinance No. 885 was signed into law on October 12th, 2009 and went into effect on January 11th, 2011. The ordinance bans the distribution of plastic bags at checkout. Businesses are only allowed to provide recyclable paper, biodegradable, and reusable bags to their customers at checkout. The following are the definitions for recyclable paper, biodegradable, and reusable bags:

Biodegradable Bag

• Contains no polymers derived from fossil fuels

• Intended for single use

• Will decompose in a natural setting at a rate comparable to other biodegradable materials such as paper, leaves, and food waste

Recyclable Paper Bag

• Contains no old growth fibers

• Is 100% recyclable

• Contains a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content

• Displays the words “reusable” and “recyclable” on the paper bag

Reusable Bag

• Bag with handles specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse

• Made of cloth or other machine washable fabric and/or is made of a durable material at least 2.25 millimeters thick that is suitable for reuse

The following are exemptions to the ban:

• Produce bags

• Bulk food bags

• Meat packaging bags

Learn more about the ordinance. The link will take you to the County of Kauai plastic bag reduction ordinance web page.

Foodservice Ware
Ordinances No. 17-63 and 19-85 ban food vendors from providing food to a customer in disposable food service ware that is made from polystyrene foam. Ordinance 19-85 went into effect July 19, 2019. The following are definitions of food vendor, disposable food service ware, and polystyrene foam:

• Food vendor is any retail food establishment.

• Disposable food service ware are containers commonly disposed of after a single use that are used to serve or transport prepared, ready-to-consume food or beverages (ex. cups, bowls, plates, and clamshell containers).

• Polystyrene foam is a thermoplastic petrochemical material utilizing the styrene monomer, which may be marked with resin symbol # 6, processed by any number of techniques including, but not limited to fusion of polymer spheres ( expandable bead polystyrene), injection molding, form molding, and extrusion-blow molding (extruded foam polystyrene). Does not include solid hard polystyrene.

The ban exempts packaging for raw meat, fish, and eggs that have not been processed further.

View full text of Ordinance No. 17-63 | View full text of Ordinance No. 19-85

Plastic Bags
Ordinance No. 12-1 was signed into law on January 17, 2012, and went into effect on January 17, 2013. The ordinance bans the distribution of plastic bags at checkout. Businesses are only allowed to provide paper and reusable bags to their customers at checkout. Reusable bag is defined in the ordinance as a bag with the following characteristics:

• Specifically designed and manufactured for multiple re-use

• Made of cloth or other machine washable fabric or made of paper specifically designed for multiple and long-term use

Plastic bags are considered reusable if they are specifically designed and manufactured for multiple re-use and are at least 3 mils thick. The following are exemptions to the ban:

• Bags without handles, designed and used solely for protection of food products, property, or preventing contamination (ex. raw meat, poultry, seafood, and bakery packaging)

• Bags without handles, designed and used solely for bulk food packaging

• Bags designed and used solely for protecting garments

• Bags without handles designed and used for small retail items (ex. jewelry, buttons, beads, ribbons, nails, nuts, and screws)

• Bags used for dispensing prescription drugs

The ordinance allows businesses to sell plastic bags to customers at checkout for one calendar year after the effective date of the ordinance. Neither the ordinance itself nor the administrative rules for the ordinance mandates a certain price for plastic bags sold to customers.

Learn more about the ordinance | View the administrative rules for the ordinance

The following are products that Island Plastic Bags can provide that comply with the ban: paper bags and reusable die cut bags (3 mils thick).

For more information about bags sold by Island Plastic Bags, Inc., contact us.

Foodservice Ware
Ordinance No. 19-30 was signed into law December 15, 2019 and became effective January 1, 2021. Please note that portions of this ordinance were deferred. Please check the following website for more information: City and County of Honolulu Refuse Division.

The ordinance bans the following:

• Plastic, handled takeout bags at restaurants

• Disposable plastic service ware to customers. Plastic service ware is stirrers, straws, baran, and utensils including forks, spoons, sporks, and knives.

• Polystyrene foam food ware for food vendors. Polystyrene foam food ware is hot and cold beverage cups, cup lids, plates, bowls, bowl lids, "clamshells," trays, or other hinged or lidded containers, that are made of polystyrene foam.

• Disposable plastic food ware for food vendors. Plastic food ware is hot and cold beverage cups, cup lids, plates, bowls, bowl lids, "clamshells," trays, or other hinged or lidded containers that contain plastic. The term does not include disposable plastic condiment packets; food-related bags or wrappers, including, but not limited to, musubi wraps, plastic film, poi bags, chip bags, cracker and cookie wrappers, bread bags, meal kits, or ice bags; beverage-related bottles or cartons; non-plastic cups that contain a polyethylene or plastic coating; packaging for unprepared food; and packaging for wholesale distribution of prepared food, baked goods or dairy products.

• Any business from selling within the City & County of Honolulu polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic service ware, or disposable plastic food ware. There are certain exemptions to this listed in the bill.

The ordinance also requires disposable service ware to only be provided upon request or in a self-service area or dispenser starting January 1, 2021. View the full text of the ordinance.

Plastic Bags

Ordinances No. 12-8, 14-29, 17-37, and 19-30 ban the distribution of single-use, plastic checkout bags on Oahu. Ordinance 19-30 went into effect January 1, 2021. Ordinances No. 12-8, 14-29, and 17-37 do allow businesses to distribute the following bags after the ban went into effect:

• Recyclable paper bags (must contain 40% postconsumer content);

• Single-use, plastic, takeout bags used at restaurants, fast food restaurants, and lunch wagons to transport prepared foods (Banned by Ordinance 19-30 as of January 1, 2021); and

• Reusable bags.

Plastic bags are considered reusable if they are greater that 10 mils thick. The following are exemptions to the ban:

• Handle-less plastic bags used by customers inside a business to package loose items, such as bakery goods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, ground coffee, grains, candies, or small hardware items;

• Handle-less plastic bags used to contain or wrap frozen foods, meat or fish, flowers or potted plants, or other items to contain dampness;

• Newspaper bags for home newspaper delivery;

• Laundry, dry cleaning, or garment bags;

• Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags;

• Bags used to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in pet stores; and

• Bags used to transport chemical pesticides, drain-cleaning chemicals, or other caustic chemicals sold at the retail level; provided that this exemption shall be limited to one bag per customer.

Ordinance 17-37 requires that businesses providing reusable bags or recyclable paper bags at the point of sale charge the customer a minimum of 15 cents per bag. The fee is then kept by the business. The fee went into effect July 1, 2018.