Plastics companies and environmentalists converged on the New York legislature Jan. 28 as lawmakers restarted a debate on recycling and plastics waste that could be the industry's biggest challenge in statehouses this year.
At issue is a bill that would set up an extended producer responsibility system for packaging and try to force a reduction in plastics packaging use by 30 percent over 12 years.
The Plastics Industry Association staged a lobbying fly-in in Albany, calling the plan a de facto plastics ban, while environmental and faith groups brought in 200 people to meet with lawmakers and rally in support.
The legislation nearly passed in 2024, only stalling in the state Assembly in the final hours of the session in June, after it had passed the Senate 37-23.
Now, with the clock restarting in a new session, plastics companies and other industries are gearing up to again.
"There's a little bit of frustration that it feels like Groundhog Day," said Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Washington-based Plastics Industry Association. "This has been multiple sessions where we've raised our concerns and made recommendations."
The ambitious legislation, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, would not allow chemical recycling to count toward recycling targets and would put fees on packaging to reimburse governments for waste management costs.
It would also require all packaging types — including plastics, glass, paper and metals — to meet a recycling rate of 70 percent in 12 years, and prohibit toxic chemicals such as PFAS, vinyl chloride, lead and mercury, in packaging.
Other business groups in the state are also lining up in opposition.
The Business Council of New York State put out a lengthy statement Jan. 27 arguing that the bill would raise costs for consumers and "significantly restricts the sale of plastic packaging and other targeted materials."
"We believe this legislation falls well short of our objective of having a fair, workable, consumer-protective packaging and material management system," said Ken Pokalsky, vice president of government affairs for the business council.
Seaholm, who led a group of about 10 plastics firms to Albany, said 100 business groups and companies in many industries oppose the plan, including packaging industry group Ameripen.
The plastics association would prefer a packaging EPR plan more like one that passed Minnesota in 2024, Seaholm said. Some industry groups had said that plan was more focused on "core" recycling functions.