NY State Senate Bill S6647A

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (4)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to environmental conservation
Oct 23, 2019	print number 6647a
Oct 23, 2019	amend and recommit to rules
Aug 09, 2019	referred to rules

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

Original

A (Active)

S6647 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8305
Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §27-1011, En Con L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S486, A922

S6647 - Summary

Prohibits the sale of beverage containers connected to each other by a separate holding device constructed of plastic.

S6647 - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S6647

SPONSOR: KRUEGER
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in
relation to the prohibition of the use of plastic beverage container
packaging

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would reduce plastic pollution and the destruction of marine
life due to plastic devices used to package beverage containers, common-
ly referred to as "six pack rings" by prohibiting the sale of beverages
held together by such packaging.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The bill amends subdivision 3 of section 27-1011 of the Environmental
Conservation Law to prohibit the sale of beverage containers connected
to each other by a separate holding device constructed of plastic.

JUSTIFICATION:

New York State currently regulates the sale of beverage containers using
plastic devices commonly referred to as "six pack rings:" These regu-
lations were enacted due to increased understanding of the particular
dangers of these plastic products to marine life, including a 1987 story
by the Associated Press that an estimated one million seabirds and
100,000 marine mammals were killed by the devices every year. Since1994,
the federal Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that all such
six pack rings must be degradable, either by being photodegradable or
biodegradable or both. New York law follows suit by requiring that any
deposit initiator, beverage distributor or dealer should only sell
beverage containers held together by six pack rings that can decompose
or be recycled.

Although this law has helped prevent animals from harm due to becoming
entangled in the devices, plastic pollution, particularly in the
ocean,continues to be a major environmental danger. As reported in
National Geographic and elsewhere, an estimated 18 billion pounds of
plastic makes its way into the ocean each year, and over 40 percent of
that is from single-use plastics, including six pack rings.  Although
the reengineered rings do decompose and break apart, they break into
micro-sized plastic particles that can be ingested by fish as well as
maritime birds and mammals, which can fatally clog the animal's diges-
tive system. An estimated 700 maritime species continue to be harmed by
plastic in the ocean.

A number of beverage companies have begun marketing beverage containers
held together by packaging that is edible and completely biodegradable.

In 2016, Saltwater Brewery, a, Florida craft beer company, packages its
beverage containers using a holder made entirely from the barley and
wheat that is left over from the brewing process, yielding packaging
that is completely edible and biodegradable. Several craft breweries
have followed suit and, at the end of 2018, Corona became the first
international brand to announce it would use beverage container holders
made from plant-based biodegradable fibers mixed with other compostable
materials.

Given the continued harm to the environment and ocean life posed by
single-used plastics, and the technological leap forward within the
beverage industry through the increased use of environmentally-friendly
alternatives to plastic six-pack rings, the time has come to come to
update New York's regulations on plastic beverage container holders.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S6647 - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6647

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             August 9, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation  to  the
  prohibition of the use of plastic beverage container packaging

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subdivision 3  of  section  27-1011  of  the  environmental
conservation  law,  as  amended by section 1 of part PP of chapter 58 of
the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
  3. No deposit initiator, distributor or dealer shall sell or offer for
sale in this state beverage containers connected  to  each  other  by  a
separate  holding  device  constructed  of  plastic [which does not: (a)
decompose by photodegradation or biodegradation; or
  (b) comply with minimum post-consumer recycled  material  content  and
hole diameter limitations as defined in rules and regulations promulgat-
ed  by the department, and is recyclable and indicates a resin identifi-
cation code].
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.





 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13064-01-9

Co-Sponsors

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8305
Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §27-1011, En Con L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S486, A922

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the sale of beverage containers connected to each other by a separate holding device constructed of plastic.

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S6647A

SPONSOR: KRUEGER
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in
relation to the prohibition of the use of plastic beverage container
packaging

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would reduce plastic pollution and the destruction of marine
life due to plastic devices used to package beverage containers, common-
ly referred to as "six pack rings" by prohibiting the sale of beverages
held together by such packaging.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The bill amends subdivision 3 of section 27-1011 of the Environmental
Conservation Law to prohibit the sale of beverage containers connected
to each other by a separate holding device constructed of plastic.

JUSTIFICATION:

New York State currently regulates the sale of beverage containers using
plastic devices commonly referred to as "six pack rings." These regu-
lations were enacted due to increased understanding of the particular
dangers of these plastic products to marine life, including a 1987 story
by the Associated Press that an estimated one million seabirds and
100,000 marine mammals were killed by the devices every year. Since
1994, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that all
such six pack rings must be degradable, either by being photodegradable
or biodegradable or both. New York law follows suit by requiring that
any deposit initiator, beverage distributor or dealer should only sell
beverage containers held together by six pack rings that can decompose
or be recycled.

Although this law has helped prevent animals from harm due to becoming
entangled in the devices, plastic pollution, particularly in the ocean,
continues to be a major environmental danger. As reported in National
Geographic and elsewhere, an estimated 18 billion pounds of plastic
makes its way into the ocean each year, and over 40 percent of that is
from single-use plastics, including six pack rings.  Although the reen-
gineered rings do decompose and break apart, they break into micro-sized
plastic particles that can be ingested by fish as well as maritime birds
and mammals, which can fatally clog the animal's digestive system. An
estimated 700 maritime species continue to be harmed by plastic in the
ocean.

A number of beverage companies have begun marketing beverage containers
held together by packaging that is edible and completely biodegradable.
In 2016, Saltwater Brewery, a, Florida craft beer company, packages its
beverage containers using a holder made entirely from the barley and
wheat that is left over from the brewing process, yielding packaging
that is completely edible and biodegradable.  Several craft breweries
have followed suit and, at the end of 2018, Corona became the first
international brand to announce it would use beverage container holders
made from plant-based biodegradable fibers mixed with other compostable
materials.


Given the continued harm to the environment and ocean life posed by
single-used plastics, and the technological leap forward within the
beverage industry through the increased use of environmentally-friendly
alternatives to plastic six-pack rings, the time has come to come to
update New York's regulations on plastic beverage container holders.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
January 1, 2022.

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 6647--A

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             August 9, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Rules  --  committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

AN  ACT  to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
  prohibition of the use of plastic beverage container packaging

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subdivision  3  of  section  27-1011 of the environmental
conservation law, as amended by section 1 of part PP of  chapter  58  of
the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
  3. No deposit initiator, distributor or dealer shall sell or offer for
sale  in  this  state  beverage  containers connected to each other by a
separate holding device constructed of  plastic  [which  does  not:  (a)
decompose by photodegradation or biodegradation; or
  (b)  comply  with  minimum post-consumer recycled material content and
hole diameter limitations as defined in rules and regulations promulgat-
ed by the department, and is recyclable and indicates a resin  identifi-
cation code].
  § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2022.




 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13064-03-9

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S6647A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

Your Voice

Actions

Bill Amendments

S6647 - Details

S6647 - Summary

S6647 - Sponsor Memo

S6647 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Details

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S6647A

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Liz Krueger

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation Committee

Your Voice

Actions

Bill Amendments

S6647 - Details

S6647 - Summary

S6647 - Sponsor Memo

S6647 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

José M. Serrano

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Details

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6647A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments