In effect
Honolulu Mandatory Food Waste Recycling
Honolulu has required large food businesses to separate food waste for recycling since 1997: large hotels, restaurants, grocers, food courts with 5+ outlets, processors and hospitals. They file an annual compliance form.
At a glance In effect
Read the official rules (opens in a new tab)
- Ordinance
- Mandatory Food Waste Recycling (Revised Ordinances of Honolulu)
- Who’s covered
- Large hotels, restaurants, grocers, food courts (5+ outlets), processors, hospitals
- Apartment buildings must provide compost
- No
- What you have to do
- Separate food waste for recycling; annual compliance form
- Key dates
- Since 1997
✦ The state picture
Rules in Hawaii
Honolulu sits inside Hawaii. State rules can apply on top of city rules.
01 / Our job
What Melly’s handles
- Which rules apply to each of your Honolulu locations
- File the paperwork for you
- Set up pickup or a compliant hauler
- Keep your records current so you are ready if an inspector asks
✦ Where this comes from
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Laws change. If something here looks out of date, tell us.
These are plain-English summaries for general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source.
✦ Get a compliance plan
Get a plan for Honolulu, HI
What do you run there? Pick all that apply.
✦ Let Melly’s handle it
Get a compliance plan
Tell us where you operate. We tell you what applies, then we file and keep you compliant.