Assembly Bill Establishes Statewide Recycling Program

According to the New York State Assembly Web site, a producer-responsibility measure presented on June 22nd took all of one day to be introduced, and approved, by the New York Assembly.

Passed by a 130-to-10 vote, Assembly Bill 9049 establishes a statewide electronic equipment re-use and recycling program, targeting the recovery of computers, computer peripherals, televisions, and small electronic equipment, including battery-powered portable digital music players, VCR and DVD players, digital video recorder systems, digital converter boxes, cable and satellite receivers, and electronic and video game consoles.

The EPR-based program would take effect July 1, 2010, requiring OEMs to take back their weighted market share, which would be based on the manufacturer’s three-year average of annual in-state sales. The program also establishes a statewide recycling and re-use goal for OEMs, which breaks down to:

• From July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010, the goal being one half of three pounds per capita
• For calendar year 2011, the goal being four pounds per capita
• For calendar year 2012, the goal being five pounds per capita
• For calendar year 2013, and each subsequent year, the goal would be the base weight multiplied by the goal attainment percentage (base weight being the average of the total weighted amount of weight of e-scrap collected for recycling and re-use in the prior three years).

The bill, accompanied by companion measure Senate Bill 6047, has since been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.