The NY bottle bill currently requires a 5-cent refundable deposit on beer, soda, wine coolers, and water.
(Long Island, NY) Environmental groups from across the state enthusiastically supported the NYS Assembly’s proposal to expand New York’s bottle bill and increase funding for the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The Assembly is expected to vote on their one-house budget proposal later today.
Currently, NY’s bottle bill requires a 5-cent refundable deposit on beer, soda, wine coolers, and water. The Assembly is proposing to expand the bottle bill to include additional noncarbonated beverages such as sugar waters, iced teas, sports drinks, energy drinks and juice drinks.
Both the NY Senate and the Governor’s proposed budgets for 2013-4 also contain changes to the bottle bill, however only the Assembly version includes an expansion. The Assembly also rejected language proposed by the Governor, and adopted by the Senate, that would make it harder for consumers to return their empty containers
All three proposals would transfer $15 million a year from the unclaimed container deposits to the EPF, as well as any additional revenues collected above the current year’s levels.
The following groups signed on to a letter to Assembly members expressing strong support for the proposed expansion:
- Adirondack Council
- Citizens Campaign for the Environment
- Citizens’ Environmental Coalition
- Container Recycling Institute
- Council of Park Friends for Clark Reservation State Park
- Environmental Advocates of New York
- Green Education and Legal Fund, Inc.
- Group for the East End
- Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
- Jamesville Positive Action Committee
- League of Women Voters of New York State
- Long Island Drinking Water Coalition
- Long Island Environmental Voters Forum
- Long Island Pine Barrens Society
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- New York City Zero Waste Coalition
- New York League of Conservation Voters
- New York Public Interest Research Group
- Parks & Trails New York
- Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
- Sure We Can, Inc.
