24 Oct 2023

Joint Public Hearing: To examine effective legislative solutions to reduce packaging

Roosevelt Hearing Room 181 State Street,, 2nd Floor, Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Albany, NY, 12247

09:30 AM Archived Video

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Joint – Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation
Chair: Senator Pete Harckham
and Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation
Chair: Assembly Member Deborah J. Glick
Public Hearing: Packaging Reduction
Place: Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Legislative Office Building, 2nd Floor, Albany, New York
Time: 9:30 A.M.
Contact: Sylvie Sherlach (518) 455-2340; Matthew Hansen (518) 455-4363
Media Contact: Tom Staudter (518) 455-1650; Assembly Press Office (518) 455-3888
ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY

SUBJECT: Packaging Reduction

PURPOSE: To examine effective legislative solutions to reduce packaging

As municipal recycling programs struggle with increased costs, they often face the choice of either increasing taxes or significantly limiting the materials they accept, leading to lower recycling rates. However, a growing number of countries and states have adopted laws to shift the end-of-life responsibility for material management from municipalities to producers by establishing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs. Almost one-third of the waste generated in the United States is from plastic and packaging,[1] meaning a reduction in usage and increased reuse/refill systems and recycling could have a significant impact. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony regarding potential legislative solutions, such as an EPR program, for packaging reduction.

Persons invited to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to three minutes’ duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

Attendees and participants at any legislative public hearing should be aware that these proceedings are video recorded. Their likenesses may be included in any video coverage shown on television or the internet.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly and Senate, in accordance with their policies of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), have made their facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly and Senate facilities and activities.