Honolulu Single-Use Items: Plastic Bag Rules Rules (2026)

ROH Chapter 9 Article 9 bans businesses from providing plastic checkout bags at point of sale. The 2015 original allowed thicker reusable plastic; Bill 59 (2017) closed that loophole effective January 2020, banning all plastic carryout bags including biodegradable and compostable plastic. Recyclable paper bags and reusable bags are permitted but most retailers must charge a minimum 15-cent fee per bag. Restaurants, produce bags, and prescription bags are exempt. Hawaii does not preempt local bag rules — all four counties enacted their own bans, making Hawaii effectively bag-free statewide via local law.