§ 263. Waste reduction and recycling program. 1. When used in this
section, "solid waste" or "waste" shall have the same meaning as is
found in subdivision one of section 27-0701 of the environmental
conservation law, but shall not include source, special nuclear or
by-product material as defined in the atomic energy act of 1954, as
amended, or hazardous waste which appears on the list or satisfies the
characteristics of hazardous waste promulgated pursuant to section
27-0903 of the environmental conservation law, or low level radioactive
waste as defined in section 29-0101 of the environmental conservation
law.

2. The department shall serve as a clearinghouse for information
pertaining to the reduction and recycling of solid waste generated by
commercial and industrial enterprises, including the potential for such
enterprises to coordinate their activities with existing and potential
local recycling programs, and on methods and strategies which commercial
and industrial enterprises within the state can undertake to reduce
waste generation.

3. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of
environmental conservation, is hereby authorized and directed to confer
and cooperate with authorities of other states and of the United States
with respect to the development of regional markets for secondary
materials and the reduction of waste from residential, commercial and
industrial activities.

4. The department shall provide to the governor, the legislature, and
local governments on or before January first, nineteen hundred ninety
and annually thereafter, a report assessing the status of commercial and
industrial waste reduction and the development of markets for secondary
materials, and all other aspects of solid waste management for which the
department is responsible. Such report shall include evaluations
prepared in consultation with the department of environmental
conservation and the environmental facilities corporation of the
expected levels of waste reduction from present and future utilization
of such practices, the anticipated effectiveness of such practices in
meeting waste reduction goals, and associated savings due to avoided
handling and disposal costs and program implementation costs. This
report may be consolidated with the report required by subdivision
fourteen of section two hundred sixty-one of this article.