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Maui County, HI Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Covered businesses
Liquor-licensed establishments (most classes)
Registration deadline for new licensees
1 month after license issued
Max fine per violation
$1,000
Suspension relief
Only if no recycling service available
Enforcing department
Public Works & Waste Management

Summary

Maui County Code Chapter 20.22 requires every liquor-licensed bar and restaurant to recycle its glass containers instead of tossing them in the trash, register with the department of public works and waste management, and keep recycling records, with fines up to $1,000 for noncompliance.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Maui County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A.All licensees shall arrange or provide for the recycling of all glass containers discarded by the licensee's licensed liquor establishment.B.Licensees shall not mix glass containers with refuse or place glass containers in a manner which causes or is intended to cause the disposal of glass containers with refuse.C.All licensees shall register with the department using forms provided by the department. Any licensee issued a liquor license after the effective date of this ordinance, shall register with the department within one month after being issued a liquor license.

Full Breakdown

020 applies to any business holding a liquor license from the County's liquor control commission where liquor is consumed or disposed of on-site, excluding class 4 retail dealer and class 10 special licenses. Subsection A requires the licensee to arrange or provide for recycling of all glass containers it discards, and subsection B bars mixing glass with regular refuse or disposing of it in a way meant to route it into the trash stream instead. Subsection C requires every covered licensee to register with the department on its forms, with newly licensed establishments required to register within one month of receiving their liquor license, and to report any change to their registration information immediately.

Subsection D obligates licensees to keep records showing their glass recycling and make them available to the department on request. Subsection E offers relief only if recycling pickup or drop-off is genuinely unavailable: a licensee may petition the director to suspend the requirement, but the director reviews suspensions periodically and must revoke one once a recycling option becomes available, giving the licensee 30 days' written notice by certified mail to comply again. 030 authorizes the director to adopt implementing rules for the program.

Violations & Fines

Section 20.22.040 fines any licensee who violates the chapter up to $1,000, with the fines deposited into the County's solid waste fund rather than the general fund, tying enforcement revenue directly back into the waste management program the department administers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Maui County bars have to recycle glass bottles?
Yes, under section 20.22.020, any business holding a liquor license (other than class 4 retail dealer or class 10 special licenses) must arrange for recycling of all glass containers it discards and cannot mix glass with regular trash.
How much can a Maui bar be fined for not recycling glass?
Section 20.22.040 sets a fine of up to $1,000 per violation for a licensee that fails to comply with the glass recycling chapter, with proceeds going into the County's solid waste fund.
Can a Maui bar skip glass recycling if no pickup service exists?
Only temporarily. Section 20.22.020E lets a licensee petition the director for a suspension when recycling pickup or drop-off is unavailable, but the director must revoke the suspension and require compliance within 30 days once a service becomes available.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Maui County

All Maui County rules

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