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By Pete Harckham - May 19, 2026
Legislators joined by colleagues, environmental organizations and advocates in support of bill that will reduce packaging 30% over 12 years and save New Yorkers $1.3 billion
Albany, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, along with other state legislators and a large group of environmental, consumer, public health and municipal advocates from across New York, called today for support of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) at a press conference in the New York State Capitol.
To see a video of the press conference, click here.
The momentum to pass—and enact—PRRIA has been building over the past several months, with residents now overwhelmingly in support (73% of registered voters, according to a Siena poll) of the legislation, just as affordability issues and environmental concerns regarding toxic chemicals continue to trouble New York residents.
PRRIA (S.1464A / A.1749) would shift the cost burden from localities to producers of waste, advancing the goal of an upgraded recycling infrastructure while reducing costs. The bill would also remove several toxic substances from packaging in New York. Right now, local governments and taxpayers are paying billions of dollars each year to transport, manage and dispose of packaging and plastic waste.
“New Yorkers could be saving hundreds of millions of dollars each year by reducing the amount of packaging waste that its municipalities have to deal with,” said Senator Harckham, chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “As we work through this ongoing affordability crisis, we need to look no further than the tremendous cost-saving benefits, as well as the safeguarding of public health, that the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will provide for our residents. Let’s pass the landmark bill now!”
“New York’s solid waste and pollution crisis demands action now,” said Assemblymember Glick, chair of the Assembly Environmental
Conservation Committee. “Excess packaging is driving up costs for taxpayers, overwhelming municipalities, and exposing New Yorkers to toxic chemicals. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act is a real solution. After extensive work with industry, municipalities, advocates, and states already implementing packaging EPR laws, Senator Harckham and I have crafted amendments that reflect meaningful compromises and a workable path to comply with industry while maintaining strong environmental and public health protections. New Yorkers deserve relief from the burden of paying for toxic packaging they have no control over. PRRIA must pass this year.”
The estimated cost for recycling in New York last year was $788 million, according to a report from the Center for Sustainable Materials Management). Meanwhile, PRRIA would save NYers $1.3 billion in just one decade. In fact, nine communities in the Center’s report would save $411 million annually.
And while industry notes that often its packaging is 100% recyclable, less than 6% of plastic gets recycled, and most is incinerated. There are 11 trash incinerators and 28 landfills in New York, which helps redistribute the toxins from packaging disposal into our soil and water.
Industry also says PRRIA will raise grocery costs, which are already being passed on to consumers. PRRIA / EPR shifts financial burden to corporations and creates incentives for the utilization of sustainable, cost-effective packaging. Keep in mind that packaging only makes up 2% on average the cost of consumer goods. Reducing material waste will create lower operational costs for corporations.
After countless consultations with stakeholders and industry officials, Harckham and Glick amended PRRIA earlier this year and included over 30 changes to the legislation. It now aligns the bill with existing models in other states, adjusts timelines with extensions for program implementation and compliance, and refines provisions on toxic chemicals. The bill also provides more flexible post-consumer (PCR) content standards and expands waivers to protect small businesses and local agriculture.
Participants at the PRRIA press conference included representatives from the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE), Sierra Club, Riverkeeper, Beyond Plastics, Consumer Reports, Environmental Advocates – New York, Earthjustice, Save the Sound, Clean+Healthy and more. Among the legislators and elected officials speaking at the event were Senators Erik Bottcher, Brian Kavanagh and Rachel May, and Assemblymembers Chris Burdick, Dana Levenberg and MaryJane Shimsky.
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said, “Excessive packaging waste is not only adding to the high cost of living in New York, but also to the trash we find littering our roads, beaches, parks and communities. Manufacturers must take responsibility for reducing the blight and costs associated with the immense waste stream they have created. The financial and environmental burden of managing this waste has been unfairly shouldered by the taxpayer for far too long. Now is the time to act. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will provide financial relief and environmental protection for every New Yorker. Let’s get it passed this year! We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick who have worked hard to craft this important bill over the last several years.”