Association of Plastic Recyclers endorses New York recycling proposal

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, has endorsed New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recycling proposal to enact an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program to boost recycling in the state.  

“APR strongly supports Gov. Hochul’s proposal to create an extended producer responsibility program to enhance the recycling of packaging and paper products in New York,” says Steve Alexander, president of the APR. "New Yorkers deserve a modern, effective recycling system. We urge support for Governor Hochul’s budget proposal for EPR for packaging and paper products to reinvigorate recycling, reduce waste, and put an end to the undue financial burdens of waste management and recycling on municipalities, taxpayers and ratepayers across the state.”  

The APR says the proposed EPR act would require consumer brands to finance the recycling of their packaging and printed paper and invest in expanding and modernizing local recycling infrastructure so that programs can handle new packaging materials as well as those not currently recycled.   

The act also incentivizes producers to generate less packaging overall and make the packaging they do use nontoxic and easier to reuse and recycle, fostering a circular economy for New York, according to the APR. Recycling more material overall would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 2.3 million metric tons annually, equal to taking 500,000 cars off the road.  

New York’s average recycling rate is currently at 18 percent, and average contamination rates in the U.S. are more than 25 percent. Most plastic recyclers in New York are not operating at full capacity and need more material to meet the demand for recycled resin, Alexander says.   

“Enacting EPR for packaging and paper could triple recycling rates for residential materials in New York, as existing packaging EPR programs around the world have achieved recycling rates over 70 percent, with contamination rates well below 10 percent,” Alexander says. 

Recently, Reloop North America released a report examining five states in the Northeast with existing bottle deposit programs. Part of those findings showed New York should modernize its deposit system, saying it would save the city between $71 million and $101 million annually.