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.
Waipahu, HI
Waipahu residential pools must be enclosed under ROH Sec. 16-6.2, with companion public-pool standards at 16-7.9 covering apartment complexes and condominium...
Waipahu, HI
Waipahu retaining walls fall under ROH 21-4.40, capping fill-bearing walls in required yards at 6 feet with terraced heights combined, impacting stream-side ...
Waipahu, HI
Waipahu fences follow the LUO fence definition in ROH 21-4.60, allowing wrought iron, wood, vinyl, plastic, and wire on post foundations, with chain-link com...
Waipahu, HI
Waipahu neighbor fence disputes apply ROH 21-4.30 yard setbacks with 21-4.60 height limits, since Hawaii has no dedicated spite fence statute for Waipahu's t...
Waipahu, HI
Public parks in Waipahu, including Waipahu District Park and Hans L'Orange Park, are closed during posted night hours. Entering closed parks is prohibited, t...
Waipahu, HI
Waipahu follows Hawaii state juvenile curfew under HRS 577-16. Children under 16 cannot be in public places between 10 pm and 4 am without a parent or guardian.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Honolulu County.
See how Waipahu's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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