Survey: 76% of Hawaii's drink containers recycled in '09

A total of 76 percent of eligible beverage containers were recycled in Hawaii last year, the state Department of Health said Wednesday.

The rate is down from the previous year when 79 percent of all eligible containers were recycled. That equated to more than 700 million containers recycled — the highest rate the program has experienced since beginning in 2005.

Known as the "redemption rate," the number is derived by dividing the number of eligible recycled beverage containers by the total number of beverage containers sold.

"The redemption rate is down slightly from last year, but participation in the HI-5 Recycling Program remains strong," said Jennifer Tosaki, with the Department of Health’s office of solid waste management. "The current rate represents more than 685 million containers recycled during fiscal year 2010, helping to significantly reduce litter and conserve resources."

State law requires that the program determine the annual redemption rate at the beginning of August each year to measure participation and determine if the fee should increase.

Read more in the Pacific Business News of Honolulu.