New York governor proposes EPR program in 2022 agenda

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed introducing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program in an effort to address increasing amounts of recyclable products ending up in state landfills.

In her 2022 State of the State address, Hochel claims the solid waste industry accounts for 12 percent of New York’s greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, she says the state has been recycling less each year since 2021, while seven million tons of paper and packaging waste are produced each year.

Under the proposed EPR program, manufacturers will be responsible for managing their products and packaging at the end of their useful lives—meaning taxpayers wouldn’t pay for recycling anymore.

Hochel also notes that EPR will encourage producers to “reduce waste, invest in recycling infrastructure, make products that are easier to recycle and support a circular economy,” reports News10 ABC. In doing so, this could help struggling municipalities that can’t afford the costs of recycling, she adds.

As of now, only two states have successfully passed EPR legislation. Oregon became the second state to pass a law establishing EPR for packaging Aug. 6, 2021, just behind Maine, which passed similar legislation July 12, 2021.