(a) Beginning on October 1, 2002, every deposit beverage distributor shall pay to the department a deposit beverage container fee on each polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, or metal deposit beverage container manufactured in or imported into the State. The fee shall be imposed only once on the same deposit beverage container. The fee shall be 0.5 cents per deposit beverage container.
Deposit beverage: means beer, ale, or other drink produced by fermenting malt, mixed spirits, mixed wine, tea and coffee drinks regardless of dairy-derived product content, soda, or noncarbonated water, and all nonalcoholic drinks in liquid form and intended for internal human consumption that is contained in a deposit beverage container. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 342G-101
Deposit beverage container: means the individual, separate, sealed glass, polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, or metal container less than or equal to sixty-eight fluid ounces, used for containing, at the time of sale to the consumer, a deposit beverage intended for use or consumption in this State. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 342G-101
Deposit beverage distributor: means a person who is a manufacturer of beverages in deposit beverage containers in this State, or who imports and engages in the sale of filled deposit beverage containers to a dealer or consumer. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 342G-101
Redemption rate: means the percentage of deposit beverage containers redeemed over a reporting period. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 342G-101
(b) Beginning on October 1, 2004, every deposit beverage distributor shall pay to the department a deposit beverage container fee on each deposit beverage container manufactured in or imported into the State. The deposit beverage container fee shall not apply to deposit beverage containers exported for sale outside of the State. The fee shall be imposed only once on the same deposit beverage container. The fee shall be 1 cent per deposit beverage container.(c) No county shall impose or collect any assessment or fee on deposit beverage containers for the same or similar purpose that is the subject of this chapter.(d) Beginning January 1, 2005, and every August 1 thereafter, the department shall notify deposit beverage distributors in writing of the amount of the deposit beverage container fee. The effective date of changes to the fee amount shall be September 1. The fee shall be based on the redemption rate calculated annually based on the redemption rate information submitted to the department for the previous period of July 1 through June 30. The fee amount shall be as follows:
(1) If the redemption rate is seventy per cent or less: 1 cent per container; and(2) If the redemption rate is greater than seventy per cent: 1.5 cents per container.(e) The director may temporarily suspend an automatic increase of the deposit beverage container fee if, after consultation with the auditor, it is determined that the deposit beverage container deposit special fund contains sufficient funds for the purposes of section 342G-104(b).
