Initial Updates
Hello Bottle Bill Advocates,
The last couple of weeks has proven to be very successful in driving our mission to protect and expand the Bottle Bill.
Below, I have provided information to everyone with a detailed understanding of the Empire State Redemption Associations' goals and the current legislative environment.
What is Empire State Redemption Association?
Who we represent: The primary companies, organizations, and people we represent work for, own, or support redemption centers. When it is correct, we will also work to unify C-licenses and other redemption service providers if our values significantly overlap.
What is our purpose? We work to unify the voices of redemption centers and Bottle Bill advocates across NYS. Traditionally, no organization has been a unifying voice for the redemption industry. When the Redemption Industry is unified, our needs are heard clearly and are seriously taken into consideration by State representatives who alter legislation that directly impacts the Redemption Industry.
What are our goals for 2022?
i. Stop poorly written EPR policy from upending the Redemption Industry
ii. Pass an expanded Bottle Bill
iii. Build a Redemption Association that will last for decades to come
Details about our goals for 2022
Primarily prevent poorly written EPR Bills from passing. The Governor has put into their budget a version of an EPR Bill (Extended Producer Responsibility) legislation that has two harmful provisions to the Redemption industry. The First Provision would not allow specific new containers from being included under Bottle Bill legislation (Juice, Coffees, Teas, Sports Drinks ect.) The Second Provision would allow initiators (Pepsi, Coke, Nestle) to remove their products from being covered under the Bottle Bill.
Senator Todd Kaminsky was also planning to put poorly written EPR legislation into the Senates budget until our Team and NYPIRG illumated other high-ranking NYS Senate members of the poorly written legislation. The Senates EPR Bill will no longer be in their budget.
It is important to note that when EPR legislation is written correctly, it can significantly benefit the environment and the Redemption industry. Environmental Chair – Assemblyman Englebright has actively worked with our Team and others to create EPR legislation that does not have any troublesome provisions and can benefit redemption through potential state funding into Redemption Programs.
