State agencies must promote composting and bioconversion

The general responsibilities of state agencies under this chapter include the following: (1) Departments that procure compost or that can substitute compost for other purchased products shall utilize locally produced compost whenever possible; (2) The college of tropical agriculture and human resources of the University of Hawaii, in consultation with the department of agriculture and biosecurity and the office, shall evaluate composting and bioconversion methods to determine the methods appropriate to Hawaii's environment and needs. The college shall provide educational outreach to homeowners and farmers on appropriate composting and bioconversion methods; (3) The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall assist, to the extent possible, in the assessment of bioconversion program alternatives; (4) The department of health shall evaluate the public health consequences of using compost for specific applications and bioconversion for the processing of municipal solid waste; (5) The department of land and natural resources shall consider the use of locally produced compost on state lands whenever possible; and (6) The department of transportation shall use compost in place of, or to supplement, other commercial fertilizers in the department's highway landscape maintenance program.