Hawaii Senate Bill SR64

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/8/24
• Refer: 3/14/24

Caption

Urging The Department Of Health To Ensure The Safe Management Of Ash From Waste Incineration Facilities.

Impact

The resolution points out that while other nations classify incinerator ash as hazardous waste, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States defines it as non-hazardous, even though testing frequently reveals hazardous properties. The implications of this resolution could lead to a re-assessment of how incinerator ash is classified and managed in Hawaii, potentially pushing for stricter regulations that would safeguard public health and the environment from the consequences of inadequate ash handling.

Summary

Senate Resolution 64, introduced during the Thirty-second Legislature of Hawaii, urges the Department of Health to ensure the safe management of ash resulting from waste incineration facilities. With H-Power being the only operational trash incinerator in Hawaii, which processes significant amounts of waste daily, there is growing concern about how incineration byproducts are managed. The resolution highlights that ash from this process is currently disposed of at the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill and questions the adequacy of the current regulatory framework governing this matter.

Contention

A key point of contention in the resolution is the push for the City and County of Honolulu to abandon plans to recycle incinerator ash for use in construction materials. This plan has raised alarms regarding the risk of exposing workers and the public to airborne toxic particles over time as roads and buildings erode. The resolution mandates that the Department of Health uphold existing laws requiring incinerator ash to be safely contained rather than recycled, directly challenging local initiatives that are seen as hazardous to community health.