Senate Bill to Cut Plastic Use and Boost Recycling Faces Opposition

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The revised New York Senate Bill aimed at reducing plastic usage and promoting recycling in the state has been criticized by various business groups. According to them, the provisions of the bill are feared to drive up consumer costs. Also, it won’t be effective in reducing pollution, they noted.

The bill would require companies that sell packaged goods to reduce single-use plastic products and charge them a fee to consume them. The producers would be required to reduce packaging by 10% of weight within three years, 20% by five years, 30% by eight years, 40% by 10 years and 50% by 12 years.

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A coalition of business groups, including the American Chemistry Council, New York State Economic Development Council and The Business Council of New York State, in a letter to legislative leaders, raised concerns regarding the various provisions of the bill and the move to pass the amendments in the current legislative session without meaningful discussions or stakeholder inputs. The New York Restaurant Association too has come out against the amendments.

Meantime, supporters of the bill argued that the bill would result in annual savings of nearly $250 million to New York cities and towns, while reducing plastic pollution and boosting recycling.