2024 Business Recycling Compliance Forms




The commercial sector has the greatest potential to significantly increase recycling on O’ahu. The recycling of targeted materials is required by law for most businesses and government agencies. Establishments with liquor licenses are required to recycle deposit (HI-5) glass bottles; office buildings (including City offices) are required to recycle paper, newspaper and cardboard; and large food establishments are required to recycle food waste. In addition, all businesses operating in O’ahu must be in compliance with the Plastic Bag Ban. Please fill out the applicable Compliance Form(s) if you received the Mandatory Recycling mailer(s) to ensure compliance. We recommend using Google Chrome as your web browser. Click on the tabs above to begin.

The City also has ordinances on restricting or banning certain commercial materials from disposal sites, all of which do not require Compliance Forms.

Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

For more information, visit https://www.honolulu.gov/opala.

  
Please complete the form below if NONE of the mandatory business ordinances apply.

Food Waste Recycling Compliance

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City and County of Honolulu Ordinance, Chapter 42, Article 3, Section 42-3.5, requires large restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, hospitals, food courts and food manufacturers and processors to recycle food waste. In so doing, these establishments shall not place food waste in the same containers as those holding refuse. Click here to view the Tip Sheet. If you prefer to print and mail your survey, use this form.

Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

Please complete this form by July 15th, 2024. Return form by mail or by scanning and emailing to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov .

Disposable Food Ware Ordinance

City and County of Honolulu Ordinance, Chapter 34, Article 13, regulates the use and sale of polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic service ware, and disposable plastic food ware in the City and County of Honolulu. It also dictates when disposable service ware may be provided. Click here to view the Tip Sheet. If you prefer to print and mail your survey, use the appropriate form: Distributor or Food Vendor.

Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

Please complete this form by July 15th, 2024. Return form by mail or by scanning and emailing to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov .

Glass Recycling Compliance

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City and County of Honolulu Ordinance, Chapter 42, Article 3, Section 42-3.1, requires all liquor-serving establishments to arrange and provide for the separate collection and recycling of glass containers. In so doing, liquor-serving establishments shall not place glass bottles and jars in the same containers as those holding refuse. Click here to view the Tip Sheet. If you prefer to print and mail your survey, use this form.

Effective June 1, 2014, the City and County of Honolulu temporarily suspended the applicability of subsection 9-3.1 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, requiring liquor-serving establishments to arrange and provide for the separate collection and recycling of glass containers, for any business unable to access recycling services. This suspension pertains to non-deposit glass only. Businesses are still required to recycle all HI-5 deposit beverage containers per ROH subsection 9-3.1.

Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

Please complete this form by July 15th, 2024. Return form by mail or by scanning and emailing to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov .

Office Paper Recycling Compliance

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City and County of Honolulu Ordinance, Chapter 42, Article 3, Section 42-3.1, requires all office buildings with 20,000 square feet or more of office space to provide for the separate collection and recycling of office paper, newspaper and corrugated cardboard. In so doing, office buildings shall not place those recyclable materials in the same container as those holding refuse. Click here to view the Tip Sheet. If you prefer to print and mail your survey, use this form.

Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

Please complete this form by July 15th, 2024. Return form by mail or by scanning and emailing to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov .

Plastic Bag Ban Compliance

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City and County of Honolulu Ordinance, Chapter 34, Article 14, Section 34-14.3, regulate the use of carryout bags on O’ahu. Businesses shall be prohibited from providing non-compliant bags to their customers at the point of sale for the purpose of transporting groceries or other merchandise. Businesses may provide, at the point of sale, reusable bags or recyclable paper bags for the purpose of transporting groceries or other merchandise provided they charge the customer a minimum or 15 cents per bag. Additionally, businesses may provide non-recyclable paper bags with or without charge to protect or transport prepared foods, beverages, or bakery goods. Click here to view the Information Sheet, which includes details and exemptions. If you prefer to print and mail your survey, use this form.

Please note, effective April 1, 2021, the Disposable Food Ware Ordinance (Ordinance 19-30) amended the Plastic Bag Ban; visit the Plastic Bag Ban Webpage for details. Please report any violations to the Recycling Branch via email to businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.

Complete this form by July 15th, 2024 to verify your compliance with this law. If this form is not returned, an inspector may be dispatched to your establishment to verify compliance. Additionally, random inspections occur year round. Businesses in violation may be subject to penalties.



select Address Type     


Select the appropriate option:

FOG (fats, oils and grease) is not considered food waste. FOG is regulated by the ENV Environmental Quality Division - Regulatory Control Branch (768-3286)
Select an Unit     
Select reason(s):
This number is based on the prior year’s average number of prepared meals served or sold per day




Select the appropriate option:
"Food vendor” means any entity or person selling or providing prepared food for consumption within the City and County of Honolulu, including any store, shop, sales outlet, pharmacy, restaurant, bar, pub, coffee shop, cafeteria, caterer, convenience store, liquor store, grocery store, supermarket, delicatessen, food truck, catering vehicle or cart, roadside stand, or other establishment that sells or provides prepared food for consumption within the city



Business needs assistance with compliance (check all that apply):

Upon request or affirmative response of a customer or person being provided prepared food or beverage.

Does business sell, serve, or provide polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic service ware, or disposable plastic food ware. Plastic food ware means hot and cold beverage cups, cup lids, plates, bowls, bowl lids, “clamshells,’ trays, or other hinged or lidded containers that contain plastic:
If yes, check all that apply:
Catered food is the provision of prepared food in bulk quantity amounts or multiple servings with the intent for later consumption, or the service of prepared food at a site or event venue.





Business provides non-compliant disposable plastic straws(check all that apply):
The following entities are exempt from all disposable plastic straw restrictions: hospitals, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, adult residential care homes, hospice service agencies/homes, home health agencies, and home care agencies.

Any food vendor may provide disposable plastic straws, upon request, to customers for whom non-plastic straws are unsuitable due to medical or physical conditions.

The Upon Request section of the DFWO regulates how businesses provide or distribute disposable service ware for prepared food or for a beverage. Service ware means any stirrers, straws, baran, and utensils including forks, spoons, sporks, and knives etc. Does business provide or distribute service ware upon request, affirmative response to a customer, or in a self-service area or dispenser:
How do you advise customers that service ware is only upon request or in a self-service area?

There is a restriction on polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic service ware and disposable plastic food ware at City facilities, City authorized Concessions, City-sponsored or City-permitted events, or City programs. Do you sell, provide, or offer for sale or use food ware or service ware at the aforementioned City locations/situations.

Business does sell polystyrene foam food ware, disposable plastic service ware, or disposable plastic food ware.
Catered food is the provision of prepared food in bulk quantity amounts or multiple servings with the intent for later consumption, or the service of prepared food at a site or event venue.


Prepackaged food is prepared food that is sealed, contained, or wrapped in a manner to protect and prevent the prepared food from having direct human contact, prior to being provided for sale by a food vendor to a customer.




Business needs assistance with compliance (check all that apply):

Upon request or affirmative response of a customer or person being provided prepared food or beverage.

Select the appropriate option:

Approximate number is based on a monthly average. Deposit (HI-5) bottles can be redeemed for 5 cents. They have “HI-5 ¢” on the label
Approximate number is based on a monthly average. Non-deposit bottles cannot be redeemed for 5 cents. They do not have “HI-5 ¢” on the label. This includes most wines and spirits. Non-deposit bottle recycling is currently not required; it’s been suspended from the glass recycling ordinance until further notice
It is acceptable to donate glass bottles to non-profits or individuals, as long as it gets recycled by them
Select the appropriate option:

Approximate average amount generated on a monthly basis:

Obtain the information above from your recycling company. One 96-gallon cart equals approximately 200 lbs.

Due to
Select the appropriate option:

Check all that apply:
A recyclable paper bag is 100% recyclable, contains a minimum of forty percent post-consumer recycled content, and displays the words “Reusable” and “Recyclable” in a highly visible manner on the outside of the bags.

“Reusable Bag” means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made of: (1) cloth or other washable fabric; or (2) durable material suitable for reuse, including plastic film bags thicker than 10 mils.

Your bag must comply with the ordinance when it is provided at the point of sale for the purpose of transporting groceries or other merchandise.

When utilizing Exemptions A-B, only handle-less plastic bags may be provided. When utilizing Exemptions C-G, any type of bag can be provided. For all exemptions, the minimum 15 cent fee is not required.

Check all that apply:
Handle-less plastic bags used by customers inside a business to package loose items, such as bakery goods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, ground coffee, grains, candies, or small hardware items;

Handle-less plastic bags used to contain or wrap frozen foods, meat or fish, flowers or potted plants, or other items to contain dampness;

Newspaper bags for home newspaper delivery;

Laundry, dry cleaning, or garment bags;

Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags;

Bags used to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in pet stores;

Bags used to transport chemical pesticides, drain-cleaning chemicals, or other caustic chemicals sold at the retail level; provided that this exemption shall be limited to one bag per customer.

Please select one:

Please select one:


For refuse and recycling information, visit https://www.honolulu.gov/opala. For assistance, email the City’s Recycling Branch at businessrecycle@honolulu.gov or call 768-3200 ext. 6.