Lawmakers push forward on banning common vending machine item: 'Positive step'

The Aloha State might be bidding farewell to certain single-use plastics as lawmakers consider a potential ban in the state capital.

The Honolulu City Council is set to vote on Bill 18, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The measure would prevent plastic bottles, one liter or less, from being sold in vending machines at city-owned facilities starting next year.

Council Vice Chair Matt Weyer introduced Bill 18 in February. The measure highlights the many negative effects plastic waste has on the environment and human health, calling single-use plastics major contributors to pollution.

Lawmakers behind the bill are also concerned about the impact of single-use plastics on marine animals and other wildlife. In fact, a study found that there are a whopping 170 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Animals often mistake the waste for food and can even become entangled in the debris.

Though Bill 18 would likely have a positive environmental impact, there has been some pushback. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the American Beverage Association opposes the measure. David Thorp, ABA Vice President of State Government Affairs - West, said via written testimony that companies are taking their own steps to reduce plastic waste.

The ABA representative also noted that the beverage industry supports thousands of workers in Hawai'i — the same reason some council members also oppose the bill. However, Council Member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam said not many vendors would be impacted and the bill would ultimately demonstrate the council's dedication to environmental issues.

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"And, to the extent that we can say in our vending machines we'd like to reduce the number of single-use bottles, I think that's a positive signal that we can send," Dos Santos-Tam said. "Bill 18 is a very limited, narrow but positive step."

Bill 18 is just one of many measures introduced across the nation in an attempt to curb plastic pollution. Lawmakers in Oregon recently voted in favor of restrictions on single-use plastics. Meanwhile in New Mexico, single-use plastic bags could soon become a thing of the past as well.

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