Supporters cite health risks as committee hears HB644 to curb PFAS in foodware

Lawmakers heard HB644 HD2, a measure aimed at restricting PFAS (forever chemicals) in food-contact packaging and foodware. The Department of Health (Matt Corano) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources stood on written testimony and were available to answer questions. Ted Bolan of Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition told the committee PFAS are persistent, toxic and implicated in cancer and other health risks and urged passage as a starting point to phase out PFAS from foodware.

Testifiers on Zoom and in the room emphasized the health-care costs and environmental liabilities of continued PFAS use. Joy Lelay Shei and other public commenters urged lawmakers to weigh long-term health costs — including cancer and infertility — alongside implementation costs for businesses.

Committee members accepted written testimony from multiple agencies and organizations and moved the bill forward to decision-making without extended questioning that day. Several testifiers noted that more than a dozen other states have adopted restrictions on PFAS in food-contact materials, which supporters cited as precedent.

Why it matters: PFAS chemicals are persistent in the environment and can accumulate in humans; restricting them in widely used foodware could reduce exposure risks and downstream cleanup costs.

What’s next: The committee carried the bill forward to decision-making in its agenda; staff noted implementation questions and potential transition timelines for suppliers and food-service operations.