HONOLULU -- The Hawai'i Department of Health has assessed a $4,340 penalty against the Mehana Brewing Company (MBC) located at 275 E. Kawili St. in Hilo for late payments and late reporting of required beverage container fees and deposits. MBC has paid the assessed penalty amount, according to a DOH news release.

MBC is a deposit beverage distributor and manufacturer in the state. In 2006, MBC was previously issued a Complaint and Order for late Deposit Beverage Container (DBC) reporting and payments and paid a penalty of $1,479.

On August 22, the DOH Office of Solid Waste Management filed a Complaint and Order against MBC for violations of Hawai'i's Deposit Beverage Container program. Hawai'i law requires deposit beverage distributors to submit monthly reports and payments of container fees and deposit amounts to the DOH no later than the fifteenth calendar day of the month following the end of the previous month's payment period. MBC was cited for late payments and reports submitted for the months of October, November, and December 2007 as well as January, February, March, April, and May 2008.