New York Lawmakers Renew Effort to Reduce Single-Use Plastics

New York lawmakers are making another run at enacting the nation’s toughest “polluter pays” bill with a measure designed to slash the use of single-use plastics.

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S4246B) would require companies with a net annual income of more than $1 million to reduce consumer packaging, improve the recycling of their packaging, and help update recycling infrastructure.

Qualified companies must reduce packaging by 10% within three years, 20% in five years, and 50% in 12 years. Further, all packaging—including plastic, glass, cardboard, paper, and metal—must meet a recycling rate ...