NY Senate Gets Bottle Bill

The New York State Assembly passed an assembly bill that seeks to expand the state’s bottle bill to include bottled water, juices, sports drinks and other beverages currently not covered by the bottle law.

The bill exempts liquor, wine, milk and baby formula containers.

It would require that the bottling industry turn over unclaimed nickel deposits on beverage containers to the state for use in the state's Environmental Protection Fund.

The Food Industry Alliance of New York State criticized the Assembly action Monday night. Jim Rogers, president of the organization complained that the bill only addressed a small portion of the overall waste stream, around 3 percent. At the same time, the Food Industry Alliance has introduced both an Assembly Bill and a Senate Bill that, Rogers feels, would go much further to address the recycling of beverage containers.

The two bills, AB 8522 and SB5500, would impose a new tax on litter-creating consumer items, with the money going toward community curbside recycling efforts.

While the bill passed the Assembly by an overwhelming vote of 90-48, according to Rogers, several Senate leaders said it is highly unlikely that the Senate bill would pass the bill.