Beverage bottlers and grocery retailers in Hawaii are seeking a delay of six months or a year to the introduction of the new bottle-deposit law, passed in 2002, and scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2005. The industry groups said they need more time to prepare since state Department of Health rules governing the programme have not been finalised. However, supporters of the law dispute the need for a delay. Honolulu recycling coordinator Suzanne Jones said the goal of a delay for retailers and the beverage industry is to gain another year so they can lobby for its repeal. Under the law, consumers will have to pay a refundable deposit of $0.05 per container, plus $0.015 non-refundable fee to pay for processing costs. According to the Container Recycling Inst, 10 US states and 8 Canadian provinces have so-called "bottle bills" requiring refundable deposits.
