CITIZENS’ ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION
CONTAINER RECYCLING INSTITUTE
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES OF NEW YORK
ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK OF NEW YORK
HUDSON RIVER SLOOP CLEARWATER
NEW YORK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE
NEW YORK CITY WASTE PREVENTION COALITION
NEW YORK STATE BOTTLE AND CAN REDEMPTION
ASSOCIATION
NEW YORK PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
SCENIC HUDSON
SIERRA CLUB
WE CAN
For
Information: For
Immediate Release:
Jeff
Jones, Environmental Advocates 462.5526 x 233 June
15, 2002
Cell: 518.265.0719
Roger
Gray, Sierra Club 518.434.8681
ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS TO CALL FOR EXPANDED BOTTLE BILL AND MORE RECYCLING
A coalition of New York’s leading environmental organizations, joined by
elected officials, held a news conference and celebration in Albany today to
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the state bottle bill. Signed into law on June 15, 1982 by Governor
Hugh Carey, the bottle bill has dramatically reduced litter, created thousands
of new jobs and resulted in the recycling of billions of metal, glass and
plastic containers. The event was one
of seven taking place simultaneously around the state.
The advocates also called for passage of the new “Bigger Better Bottle
Bill” in the State Legislature, which would expand the bottle bill to
non-carbonated beverage containers like Snapple and bottled water, utilize the
unclaimed deposits to fund local recycling programs, and make other changes to
the law. The proposed new law (A.11442/S.7521), sponsored by Assembly
Conservation Committee Chair Thomas DiNapoli and Senator Kenneth LaValle, would
not only reduce litter, but would provide over $84 million annually for local
recycling programs and improvements to curbside recycling programs across the
state.
“Our 20-year-old bottle bill has been a phenomenal success at keeping
millions of containers out of landfills and incinerators and off the streets in
the form of roadside litter,” said Judith Enck, representing Attorney General
Eliot Spitzer. “However, the bottle bill can be made even better if we update
it to include categories of containers – like bottled waters, sports drinks and
fruit juices – that barely existed in the marketplace when the law was enacted
20 years ago.”
In addition to expanding the bottle bill, the proposed new legislation
would turn over unclaimed deposits to the state.
“Local budgets are stretched, and we need to fund the continuation and
expansion of local recycling programs,” said Roger Gray, representing the
Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “Rather than having the beverage industry keep
the $84 million windfall from unclaimed deposits, this enormous amount of money
should be used to fund local recycling programs.”
Another element of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill deals with waste
haulers who collect recycled materials at curbside and then dump them in a
landfill.
“New Yorkers are making a
serious effort to protect the environment by recycling glass, plastic and
newspapers,” said Jeff Jones of Environmental Advocates. “We want to know that
our work isn’t being undone. The new law would guarantee that recyclable
material that is collected as part of existing programs is actually being
recycled.”
Simultaneous news conferences to commemorate the 20 anniversary of the
bottle bill were held in 7 communities across the state: Buffalo, Rochester,
Syracuse, Albany, New Paltz, Manhattan and Suffolk County. Environmentalists
were joined by small business owners who run redemption centers and elected
officials who support the new legislation.
– 30 –