AMERIPEN co-led a high-impact advocacy fly-in to engage with legislators on the Affordable Waste Reduction Act(S.5062/A.6191), a packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill introduced by New York State Senator Monica Martinez and Assemblymember Chantel Jackson. The bill represents a demanding yet consistent and balanced approach to reducing packaging waste and improving recycling outcomes across New York State. The fly-in brought together representatives from more than 20 member companies and industry associations from across the packaging value chain, demonstrating strong and unified industry support for EPR legislation grounded in national best practices.
In contrast to the overly prescriptive and unfeasible proposal by Senator Peter Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick (S.1464/A.1749), the Martinez-Jackson bill offers a data-driven, innovation-friendly framework modeled after legislation from Minnesota and Maryland. The legislation in Minnesota and Maryland garnered strong support and endorsements from across the environmental community and much of industry and reflects forward thinking trends and provisions established by recent stakeholder conversations surrounding EPR. 鈥淭he Affordable Waste Reduction Act is a practical, collaborative framework for EPR in New York,鈥� said Lynn Dyer, Executive Director of AMERIPEN. 鈥淲e were proud to advocate for an EPR model that builds on effective recycling policy.鈥�
Consistent with Minnesota鈥檚 2024 packaging EPR law, the Martinez-Jackson bill supports a shared responsibility model that:
- Maintains material- and technology-neutral policies to foster innovation
- Empowers Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) led by industry experts
- Ensures transparency and oversight through an advisory council and public input
- Establishes realistic performance targets and a phased implementation timeline
- Balances funding, with producers covering ~90% of system costs while municipalities and waste processors retain a role in system effectiveness
鈥淣ew York has the opportunity to implement a model that reflects what鈥檚 widely accepted and supported across the country鈥� Dyer added. 鈥淭he Harckham-Glick bill, by contrast, imposes packaging bans, rigid mandates, jeopardizes recycling innovation, and would place excessive financial strain on both producers and consumers.鈥�
AMERIPEN continues to strongly oppose the Harckham-Glick proposal, citing its unrealistic timelines, lack of alignment with proven EPR principles, and failure to consider lessons learned from other states. Instead, the organization urges lawmakers to prioritize legislation that is effective, equitable, and enforceable.
AMERIPEN will continue engaging with policymakers, regulators, and industry partners to promote smart packaging policy solutions that reflect both environmental priorities and operational realities.