Plastics Punch
Beyond Plastics President Judith Enck, who served as an EPA regional administrator during the Obama administration, says the problem is that unlike materials such as paper, glass and aluminum, plastics have never been recycled at a rate higher than 10 percent in the U.S. “They need to change their marketing to say that recycling is real except for plastics,” said Enck, whose organization wants to block new plastic manufacturing and plastic-burning facilities.
Environmentalists say cutting the amount of plastic packaging in products by half is a top goal
Environmental groups in New York say a top priority in 2024 will be getting a law approved that would cut the amount of plastic packaging in consumer products in half over the 12 years and help combat climate change. It faces fierce opposition from the plastics industry.
3M, Green Groups Push Back on Hochul’s NY Waste Reduction Bill
New York business groups and environmental advocates are pushing back on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to require businesses like Amazon.com Inc., 3M Co., and Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. to reduce and pay for the disposal of paper and packaging products. Environmentalists say the plan doesn’t go far enough, and the complex issue should be handled outside of the state budget process.
Advocates Call for a 50% Reduction in Excess Packaging
Advocates for plastic waste reduction and an expanded bottle bill rallied at the Capitol Wednesday for the state to reduce excess packaging on retail items by 50% by 2033. They say a plan by Governor Kathy Hochul to reduce packaging falls short.
Senators Press Industry on Plastic Waste Impacts
During a two-hour hearing, U.S. senators questioned industry experts about chemicals in plastics, marine plastic pollution and extended producer responsibility. The Dec. 15 hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice and Regulatory Oversight brought four panelists together to answer questions from legislators.
Senate Hearing Looks at Bottle Bills, Chemical Recycling, Other Methods to Urgently Reduce Plastic Pollution
At the Senate committee hearing on plastics, the Plastics Industry Association’s CEO warmed to bottle bill possibilities but clashed with Beyond Plastics on chemical recycling’s risks and merits.
To Reduce Plastic Waste, Make Producers Responsible for It (Guest Opinion by Judith Enck)
Seen any plastic waste littering your favorite lakeshore, park or neighborhood lately? You’re not alone — largely because less than 6% of the plastic we produce is actually recycled. Unlike metal, glass, paper and cardboard, plastics — which are made from a byproduct of hydrofracked gas plus a variety of toxic chemical and colorants — are neither feasible nor economical to recycle.
Watertown Resident Expands Efforts to Curtail Use of Plastics
Several years ago, Watertown’s Eileen Ryan pushed for Watertown to pass a plastic shopping bag ban, and now she has expanded her efforts statewide. In April, she founded Beyond Plastics Greater Boston, a local chapter of the national group Beyond Plastic. “After we passed the ban (in 2016) we all patted ourselves on the back and thought we did a great job. We really noticed that there are fewer plastic bags in the river, in trees around Watertown,” Ryan said.
West Hempstead Activist Wages Anti-plastic Fight
West Hempstead’s Joseph Varon is continuing his crusade against the use of plastics, throwing his support behind two bills before the State Legislature. A seasoned veteran of environmental activism and recycling campaigning, Varon said he hopes to hold plastic producers more accountable.
Advocates Urge More Recycling, Manufacturer Responsibility to Reduce Plastic Waste
Six weeks after New Jersey’s plastic bag ban started, those worried about plastic piling up in landfills or polluting waterways are already plotting what’s next to reduce or recycle an immortal material once hailed as a scientific wonder.
Microplastics Found in Fresh Antarctic Snow, as Pollutants Spread
Scientists have found microplastics in fresh Antarctic snow for the first time, in a study they say highlights “the extent of plastic pollution globally.” Researchers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand collected snow samples from 19 sites in Antarctica, and all contained the tiny plastics, according to the peer-reviewed paper published this week in the journal Cryosphere.
Reducing New York's Manufactured Waste
Beyond Plastics President Judith Enck discusses her environmental agenda for the remainder of the legislative session, including curtailing the use of plastic straws, updating the state's recycling deposit law and encouraging producers to reduce their waste.
Bail Reform Looms Large As Budget Deadline Nears
Kaminsky chairs the Environmental Conservation Committee in the Senate. His counterpart in the Assembly, Steve Englebright (D-Suffolk), told advocates Tuesday night that he’d rather see extended producer responsibility dealt with outside the budget. Judith Enck, a former EPA Region 2 Administrator and current head of Beyond Plastics, is a strong backer of that position. She’s skeptical of both Hochul’s and Kaminsky’s version of EPR. “I do know that if it’s even close to the Hochul bill or the Kaminsky bill, it would be a very bad precedent that other states would follow,” Enck said.
Will New York Get New Plastic Packaging Requirements Right Or Wrong?
To get a handle on plastic packaging, there is a movement to get companies to take responsibility for all the waste they produce. It’s called Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR. According to the group Beyond Plastics, strong and transparent EPR can be used to solve the growing problem of packaging waste and plastic pollution, but only if states get the details right and hold companies accountable.
Plastic Burning ‘Has No Place In Climate-Forward NY’
State Sen. John Mannion (D-Syracuse) has introduced Senate Bill 7891, which would promote plastic burning in our state. At least 15 states have so far passed similar legislation, including Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, none of which are environmental leaders. But this destructive approach, which the plastic industry calls “advanced recycling” or “chemical recycling,” has no place in climate-forward New York.
Another Voice: Plastics Recycling Bill Needs To Include Specific Targets
Gov. Kathy Hochul included a proposal for “extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper” in her state budget proposal, but unfortunately there are serious flaws that must be cured by the Legislature.
Resident calls for plastic reduction. Malverne environmentalist joins call for bottle bill changes
Plastic bottles blowing across local streets. Shards of glass sprinkled across schoolyards. Highway exits overflowing with cans.
A Revolution Is Taking Place, One Can At A Time
“Waste pickers” are helping the planet while paying their bills—it’s time to show them some respect.
To Avoid A Plastic Future, New York Must Update The Bottle Bill | Opinion
USA Today | January 7, 2022 | State lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul can take action to modernize New York’s successful beverage container deposit law, known as the Bottle Bill, which turns 40 next year.