Hawaii has no statewide plastic bag preemption law, but all four counties have enacted bans on non-recyclable plastic checkout bags, making Hawaii the first U.S. state with a de facto statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
Hawaii's legislature has not preempted county regulation of single-use plastics, allowing each county to adopt independent ordinances. Honolulu (ROH Chapter 9, Article 9), Maui County (Title 20.26), Hawaii County (HCC Chapter 14, Article 14), and Kauai County (KCC Chapter 8) all prohibit retailers from providing non-recyclable plastic checkout bags at point of sale. Most ordinances also restrict thin compostable bags and require minimum recycled content for paper bags. Fees on reusable or paper bags vary by county. The combined effect is that retailers across Hawaii must offer reusable, paper, or compliant compostable bags only. Statewide grocery and retail chains generally comply with the most restrictive county rule across all locations.
County ordinance violations typically carry $100 to $1,000 fines per offense, escalating with repeat offenses.
Kapolei, HI
ROH Sec. 16-6.2 requires Kapolei residential swimming pools to be enclosed by a complete barrier with self-closing gates designed to prevent access by young ...
Kapolei, HI
ROH Sec. 21-4.40 limits fill-containing retaining walls in Kapolei to six feet within required yards and combines terraced wall heights for compliance measur...
Kapolei, HI
ROH Sec. 21-4.60 defines fences to include wrought iron, wire, wood, vinyl, and plastic, giving Kapolei residents a broad palette of compliant materials.
Kapolei, HI
ROH Sec. 21-4.30 controls what Kapolei neighbors can install in required yards along shared property lines, since Honolulu does not have a dedicated city spi...
Kapolei, HI
Public parks in Kapolei are closed during posted night hours under ROH Sec. 10-1.2, though beach parks allow direct traverse to the shoreline during closure.
Kapolei, HI
Kapolei follows HRS Sec. 577-16, which bars children under 16 from public places between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. without a parent or guardian; Honolulu has no sep...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Honolulu County.
See how Kapolei's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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