Costco fined $16,000 for improper bottle labeling at Iwilei store

The state Department of Health fined Costco Wholesale Corp. $15,998 for failing to properly label its Kirkland brand water bottles sold at its Iwilei location under the state’s HI-5 beverage container law.

The warehouse at 525 Alakawa St. was cited during compliance inspections on Oct. 9 and Nov. 10.

A Costco executive said its noncompliance was due to a rush order of bottled water to meet the demand during last year’s hurricane season. Its vendor has since labeled all water bottles to meet state requirements.

The DOH cited 17 beverage container distributors and redemption centers in 2015 and 2016 for failing to submit semiannual reports and payments, and labeling and other violations.

The state said beverage distributors that don’t properly report the number of containers sold or meet reporting deadlines could face fines of up to $10,000 per violation per day. The next HI-5 beverage container reporting deadline is July 15.

The program, started in January 2005 to encourage the recycling of plastic, glass and metal containers, requires companies to submit semiannual reports and payments to the state, which conducts regular inspections of beverage distributors and certified redemption centers.

Residents have recycled more than 7 billion containers over the past decade.

On the move

Porter McGuire Kiakona & Chow LLP has hired Maxwell K. Kopper as an associate attorney for its litigation section. He was previously an associate for O’Conner Playdon & Guben LLP.

AdStreamz has hired Gem Nishimura as community engagement coordinator. She has eight years of social media and blogging experience and more than 10 years of travel industry experience. She previously worked at Aloha Airlines.

Colliers International Hawaii has hired Kaione Crabb as a leasing agent for its Industrial Services Division. He has eight years of experience in the firearms industry and six years in the defense industry, previously serving as an adviser in government defense contract programs.