October Newsletter

Highlights

Don't Drown Our Communities to Save NYC

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is creating a plan to combat future flooding in the New York metropolitan area, which could include massive storm barriers spanning New York Harbor, Western Long Island Sound, and other bays and tributaries. These storm surge barriers could permanently alter the landscape and health of these waterbodies and flood coastal communities in Long Island, Connecticut, and Westchester. They would also do nothing to address the real issue of climate change! In October, we worked with Congressman Tom Suozzi to get the Army Corps to hold a public meeting about its plan on Long Island. Prior to the meeting, we held a press conference with our partners at Save the Sound, Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Coalition to Protect Hempstead Harbor, and Friends of the Bay to raise concerns about this "Gates from Hell" proposal.

CCE's Adrienne Esposito Launches "Earth Witness News" Radio Show

Want to get the latest on cutting edge environmental issues from the person fighting for all of us 365 days a year? Adrienne Esposito is now hosting a radio show on WCRN 103.9 on the first Friday of the month at noon. The show premiered on October 5, and we just had another great show on November 2, featuring Carl LoBue from The Nature Conservancy discussing ocean protection. Tune in next month for more Earth Witness News!

Happenings

Showcasing Green Projects in Buffalo that Protect the Great Lakes

We were pleased to organize a tour, led by our friends at PUSH Buffalo, of green infrastructure projects in the City of Buffalo. Green infrastructure is a network of decentralized stormwater management practices, such as rain gardens, green roofs, trees, and permeable pavement, that can capture and infiltrate rain where it falls. Not only is this reducing polluted runoff and sewage overflows that can pollute Lake Erie, but it is beautifying neighborhoods and creating training and employment opportunities for the community too!

Saying No to the Caithness II Power Plant on Long Island

Long Island's energy demand is stable, and PSEG has announced that renewable energy, not fossil fuels, is the most cost-effective and reliable way to meet the island's future energy needs. Despite there being no need for this project, the Town of Brookhaven has decided to allow Caithness to move forward with a 600 MW fossil fuel plant. This project will worsen the already poor air quality in Suffolk County and stifle efforts to transition to wind and solar. In October, we joined our partners in the Stop Caithness II Coalition for a press conference and rally, and then headed into Town Hall where we testified in opposition to this unnecessary, polluting power plant.

Reducing Plastic Bag Pollution in CT

CCE is a member of the Reusable Bag Alliance in Connecticut, a coalition made up of local groups working together to pursue a statewide plastic bag ban in 2019. In October, the Coalition met to discuss the problem of plastic pollution, existing strategies for encouraging reusable bag use, and potential bag ban legislation. The coalition includes members from BYO Greenwich, BYO Stamford, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the CT Food Association, and several other statewide and local environmental groups. Stay tuned for more info on how you can help get a statewide BYOBag bill passed in 2019!

Celebrating the South Shore Estuary Reserve: Boat Trip and Stewardship Awards

CCE, along with our partners in the South Shore Estuary Reserve, hosted the SSER Boat Tour and Stewardship Awards aboard the Lauren Kristy on the Great South Bay. Mr. Scott Bochner was honored for his dedication to protecting and restoring the Western Bays, fighting to upgrade the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant, and consistent efforts in removing marine debris from the SSER. The other awardees were Mr. George Remmer and Mr. Richard Remmer, of the Snapper Inn, for their dedication to supporting the restoration of the South Shore Estuary Reserve, contribution to needed water quality monitoring, and generously providing resources to assist in protection efforts.

Finding Out Where Our Congressional Candidates Stand on the Environment

In October, we cosponsored and participated on a panel that asked questions in a debate between District 1 Congressman Lee Zeldin and his challenger, Perry Gershon. We found out where each candidate stands on critical Long Island environmental issues, including Plum Island protection, opposing offshore drilling, fostering renewable energy development, and reducing pollution to our ground and surface waters.

Protecting Our Drinking Water from 1,4-Dioxane

CCE is fighting for a health-based NYS drinking water standard for 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen that has been detected at high levels in Long Island wells. Not only do we need to ban 1,4-dioxane in personal care products, but we need to treat the existing contamination to protect public health as well. In October, we attended a meeting of the NYS Drinking Water Quality Council to continue discussions on setting a state standard for 1,4-dioxane and PFOA, two emerging contaminants that are polluting drinking water in NY. We are calling for a health-based drinking water standard by the end of the year.

Calling for the Cleanup of a Long Island Superfund Site

The NYS DEC has proposed a cleanup plan for a portion of the DZUS superfund site on Long Island, located in West Islip. We attended the public meeting and submitted comments calling on the DEC to improve the proposed cleanup plan, which would remove only 19,000 cubic yards of sediment. We support Alternative 3, which provides the most comprehensive cleanup for this site. Alternative 3 will remove all of the contaminated sediment—24,000 cubic yards—at a cost of only $2 million dollars more than DEC's proposal.

Seventh Annual "Water We Going to Do?"

The Long Island Clean Water Partnership held our annual "Water We Going to Do?" Conference in October. We heard our federal, state, and local officials, as well as scientific experts, give updates on Long Island's fight against nitrogen pollution and other impairments facing our water resources. Keynote speaker Dr. Christopher Patrick offered some hope for our own waters as he discussed the success of the Chesapeake Bay restoration project. Thanks to everyone who turned out and made it our best conference yet!

Suffolk County: Change Out Your Septic System

Over the summer and fall, we have been hosting a series of forums highlighting the importance of reducing nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and cesspools. We will be helping residents secure grants to change out their old systems for new, on-site, nitrogen-reducing treatment systems through Suffolk County's Reclaim Our Water program. So far, we have held forums for residents of Huntington, Smithtown, Centereach, Cold Spring Harbor, and Riverhead, and have received a great response. Our next forum is at East Northport Public Library on November 29, and we hope to see you there!

Recycling is piling up at LI facilities, as China puts limits on buying

Recycling is piling up at LI facilities, as China puts limits on buying

Declining prices caused by restrictions imposed this year by China could lead to changes in the way many Long Islanders dispose of paper and other material.

BY DAVID M. SCHWARTZ AND CARL MACGOWAN

Posted: October 30, 2018
Originally Published: October 29, 2018

Thousands more tons of Long Island recyclables are ending up as trash compared to prior years because of plummeting prices caused by restrictions imposed this year by China, the world's largest importer of recycled cardboard and plastics, recycling operators said.

The restrictions have upended Long Island's already struggling recycling efforts, and could lead to changes in the way many Long Islanders dispose of paper and other material — particularly in towns that switched to once-heralded "single stream" recycling programs that allowed residents to combine paper, plastic, aluminum and glass in one container, officials said.

In some cases, towns that have made money in past years from selling recycled cardboard and paper have now had to pay to get rid of it because China will no longer buy it. China is seeking to stimulate its domestic recycling market and be more environmentally responsible.

The problem reached a flash point last week when Green Stream Recycling told Brookhaven officials it could no longer run the town's recycling facility. Green Stream is expected to fold, and Brookhaven on Thursday expects to name a new operator to temporarily run the recycling system while town officials weigh their long-term options. Brookhaven plans to continue the single stream program.

Haulers such as West Babylon-based Winters Bros. Waste Systems, a Green Stream co-owner and one of the Island's largest single-stream recyclers, say the declining recyclables market makes it nearly impossible for them to make a living. 

“I’ve never seen it this bad, and I’ve been in this business for 35 years,” said Will Flower, vice president of Winters Bros. “In some cases, the material no longer has a home. It’s no longer recyclable.”

Though fluctuating commodities prices are considered normal in the waste industry, Brookhaven and Green Stream previously had touted the town's single-stream program since it began in 2014.

In its first year using single stream, the town saw a 25 percent increase in the number of homes that recycled. Similar increases were reported by towns such as Smithtown, Huntington and Southold that agreed to transfer their recyclables to the Brookhaven plant.

But this year, nearly 22 percent of recyclable paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum brought to the Brookhaven facility has gone to incinerators or landfills, double the rates of 2016 and 2017, according to figures provided by Green Stream. The Brookhaven plant also processes collections from single-stream programs in several villages and school districts.

The additional material thrown away is on pace to be more than 7,000 tons by the end of the year — and doesn’t include glass, which hasn't been recycled from curbside bins for years. Instead, glass is crushed up and used as cover and drainage at Brookhaven's landfill, town and company officials said.

The increased rate is one result of a recycling market roiled across the country since Jan. 1, when China implemented policies — known as "National Sword" — aimed at boosting the country's environment and stimulating its domestic recyclables market. Those policies banned the import of some recyclable materials and required higher quality for other items like cardboard, national and local experts say.

Among the recent effects from the changing market:

Recyclables spilled out of the Brookhaven facility this summer as space ran out inside and no one would buy the material. Eventually, the newspaper and cardboard left out in the rain was composted in Brookhaven with the permission of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Green Stream, saying it could not afford to operate the Brookhaven plant, pulled out of its deal with the town. Brookhaven officials have said Green Stream owes the town $1.7 million in unpaid fees and bills, which Flower said the company likely will not pay.

• Huntington said Brookhaven officials announced they will discontinue an agreement to take Huntington's recyclables at the end of this year. Huntington had been making $8 per ton from shipping paper, plastics and other material to Brookhaven, but capacity shortages at the Brookhaven facility have forced Huntington to pay $10 per ton to take material to a private waste facility, Huntington Director of Environmental Waste Management John Clark said in an email.

• Smithtown and Huntington are seeking new recycling vendors. Those towns and Southold and Oyster Bay towns all have said they are reconsidering their single-stream recycling programs.

• Recommendations including doubling the bottle and can fee to 10 cents, adding a fee on liquor and wine bottles and removing glass from curbside collections, along with an aggressive public education campaign about how to recycle better, are among proposals from a Long Island recycling advisory committee to the state DEC in October.

China is by far the world's largest consumer of U.S. recyclables, dating to the early 1990s, when the nation's voracious appetite for cardboard and plastic coincided with efforts by American cities and towns to ramp up nascent recycling programs. Both countries benefited from a system in which discarded cardboard was shipped to China, then came back to the United States as recycled boxes containing consumer goods before going back to China to be recycled once again.

Before this year, China consumed as much as 40 percent of the United States’ exported recyclables — more than the next 10 foreign nations combined, said Adina Renee Adler, senior director for government relations and international affairs at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, a Washington, D.C., trade group.

“Because China gave us very little time to transition, it gives the recyclers very little time to find other markets,” Adler said.

Total value of waste and scrap exports to China by month

Scrap exports to China have declined since the ban on several types of plastics and mixed paper took effect Jan. 1 and all but halted in May when China temporarily suspended pre-shipment inspections.

China is trying to stamp out "contamination" — the waste industry term for recyclables that contain residue such as moisture and glue from packing tape and labels. Locally, inspectors hired by a Chinese firm now prod bales of paper with moisture detectors and examine piles of cardboard for contaminants such as glass shards before they are loaded into containers destined for overseas markets, local operators said.

Costs have climbed as companies and municipalities have slowed down conveyor belts and added additional staff to better sort streams of recyclables. Islip Town, which runs its own dual-stream recycling facility, last month approved $100,000 in unbudgeted overtime for recycling sorting.

At the same time, prices for recycled material have plummeted. Baled cardboard that could once be sold for $180 a ton is now down to nearly $60 a ton, Flower said.

Winters Bros. says it will have to alter or change some contracts under language usually reserved for natural disasters.

The Town of Oyster Bay has already agreed not to extend their single stream contract with Winters Bros. past Dec. 31, citing litigation fears, and will rebid their recycling contract in the coming weeks. 

"Anyone in the recycling business would describe this as a crisis," Flower said.

Not everyone agrees, pointing to the recycling industry's cyclical nature, including frequent price fluctuations.

"I would not characterize it as a crisis. I’d characterize it as challenging times due to changing trends and changing markets," said Martin Brand, deputy commissioner for the state DEC's office of remediation and materials management.

He said he was unaware of additional recyclable material heading to landfills or incinerators, and said no permission has been granted for recyclers to landfill or incinerate recyclables. Some municipalities had requested permission to landfill or incinerate recyclables at a statewide meeting on the recycling changes this summer, but DEC did not give them permission, he said.

The changes in the recycling stream have ignited a debate over the benefits of single-stream recycling and dual-stream, where residents put out paper products one week and then the rest of the recyclables the next week.

Single-stream recycling increases participation in municipal recycling programs, but mixing paper products with cans and bottles leaves cardboard spoiled by rainwater and carbonated soda, or torn by broken glass.

“You can’t unscramble an egg,” Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute of Culver City, California, said in an interview. “Putting all these items in the same cart leads to contamination.”

Some residents also deposit non-recyclables — everything from food and soccer balls to garden hoses — into recycling containers, a phenomenon that waste officials call "wish-cycling."

Some local operators said that single stream, by creating a contaminated stream, has forced China's crackdown on recycling.

As single-stream recycling grew, not just on Long Island but nationally, the product coming out of the United States became more contaminated, said Patricia DiMatteo, owner of Omni Recycling of Babylon, a dual-stream facility. People became less discerning about what they threw into their recycling bins, she said. While Omni Recycling has had to more carefully sort its recycling stream, the amount that it sends to landfills — yard waste, hoses, cheese-stained pizza boxes — has remained about the same, she said.

"In my opinion, it was the advent of single-stream recycling that destroyed the market," DiMatteo said.

When Brookhaven announced its single-stream program in 2014, town officials envisioned the plant becoming a regional processing center that would serve municipalities across Long Island. Green Stream had poured $7 million to upgrade the facility in Brookhaven hamlet.

In 2015, the plant expanded after the DEC imposed a $25,000 fine for violations including the disposing of recyclables as waste.

With Green Stream leaving the facility, Brookhaven officials have said the program's new operator will have the option of continuing with single stream — or switching to a dual-stream system.

Before the recycling game changed

Here are the number of tons of recycled and unrecycled waste reported by each Long Island town in 2016*, the latest year available.

* Islip failed to file a 2016 report, so we used its 2017 report; all other town and city data are from 2016, the most recent year available from all other municipalities.

Towns such as Islip and Southampton that stuck with dual-stream recycling said their operations have fared better than single-stream programs. The amount of material that ends up as garbage has not increased because separated recyclables are less contaminated and therefore more attractive to buyers, they said.
Jim Heil, Islip's former waste commissioner, said the town's decision not to convert to single stream a few years ago is paying off.

"We looked at it when it was all the rage. We stayed the course, decided to do what we were continuing to do," Heil, who co-chairs the recycling committee with Flower, said. "It's to our benefit now, with the blip in the market."

Robert Lange, executive director of North Hempstead's Solid Waste Management Authority, who ran New York City's recycling program for 20 years as the director before that, said residents have to be better educated on what to recycle, and be encouraged to recycle more.

But he warned that some of the concerns are overblown and he has seen contractors in the past try to use bad market conditions to renegotiate contracts.

"I think there’s hype right now and whenever there’s any kind of drama like that, someone’s going to use it as an opportunity to readjust things in their favor," he said.

Some of recycling's issues existed long before China’s new policy, even if they were rarely talked about outside industry circles. 

In some cases, materials can't be sold at all. Certain kinds of thin plastic food containers, for example, are incinerated or landfilled, Flower said.

Glass, when crushed and colors are mixed, has rarely been sold on recycling markets. The industry has also struggled with plastic bags and hoses getting caught in recycling machinery.

“A good market hid a lot of sins,” Flower said.

Peter Scully, former regional DEC director and former vice-chair of the New York State Solid Waste Management Board, said the towns should not have rushed into single-stream recycling.

"A better approach might have been to undertake single stream on a pilot basis to make sure it was sustainable over the long-term, and didn’t generate excess amounts of reject material, as a result of cross-contamination of paper products with broken glass," he said.

Some environmentalists agreed that big changes to recycling are needed, including more education for residents on what to recycle and state incentives or investments to encourage local recycling markets.

“Recycling was never free, now we're faced with what the actual costs are going to be,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

"We were misled years ago that single stream would be helpful for recycling. In fact, it’s been extremely harmful," she said. "It contaminates some material. And hasn’t brought any benefit and has only brought contamination of the material. It’s a disaster."

R. Lawrence Swanson, associate dean for Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, said contract squabbles between recyclers and municipalities, such as the one between Oyster Bay and Winters Bros., could become more common.

“Probably some of those agreements are going to be in disarray and there’s going to be a need or an attempt to renegotiate,” Swanson said.

Environmentalists: New power plant would be detrimental to LI

Environmentalists: New power plant would be detrimental to LI

Posted: October 29, 2018
Originally Published: October 25, 2018

FARMINGVILLE -

Environmentalists say a new power plant coming to Yaphank would be detrimental to Long Island.

“The last thing Long Island needs is a power plant that will shackle us to fossil fuels for the next 50 years,” says Adrienne Esposito, of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

The power plant, dubbed Caithness II, got the green light in 2014 when the Brookhaven Town Board voted 5-2 in favor of it. Back then, Caithness Long Island proposed a facility with two smokestacks. Plans for the project have since been downsized to 600 watts with one smokestack.

Plant opponents made their voices heard during the public comment portion of Thursday night’s Brookhaven Town Board meeting. But not everyone was opposed to the plant. One truck drove around Town Hall with a message in support of the plant.

News 12 reached out to Caithness about the plant. It called Caithness II a modern clean-burning, gas-fired plant that “will also support the increased use of renewable resources, like solar and wind, during times when those resources are not available.”

But environmentalists say they still have their concerns.

Town Supervisor Ed Romaine made it clear at the meeting that the town board will take no further action on Caithness II.

News 12 is told that Caithness is working through the permit process to finish the plant.

Watch the video.

Hempstead to Replace Lead Pipes

Hempstead to replace lead pipes

Project aims to prevent water-supply contamination

BY BRIDGET DOWNES

Posted: October 25, 2018
Originally Published: October 25, 2018

Town of Hempstead officials announced last week that the town would replace 100-year-old lead water pipes that service Point Lookout residents because they pose a potential health risk.

More than 500 pipes are to be replaced with copper ones, Town Supervisor Laura Gillen said at a news conference in Point Lookout on Oct. 18. The town received a $600,000 grant from the state Department of Health to switch out the pipes for more than 1,200 Point Lookout residents.

“This is aging infrastructure that is all over America and all over New York state,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Lead is known to actually build up in the body and cause very serious ailments, particularly for children and developing fetuses. It causes such things as learning disabilities, anemia. It damages blood cells. It also damages the kidney, the liver and the neurological system.”

John Reinhardt, the town water commissioner, said that trace amounts of lead could be found in samples that were drawn in Point Lookout, but they were below the federal standard for safe drinking water. Gillen said there is “no reason for alarm” because the pipes had not leached lead into the water supply.

The corrosion of lead pipes can cause toxins to leach into the water, as was the case in 2014, when the water supply for more than 100,000 residents of Flint, Mich., was contaminated, Gillen recalled.

“The federal regulation for lead is 15 parts per billion, but the [Environmental Protection Agency] recommends actually a zero tolerance for lead because it’s so highly poisonous,” Esposito said. “I think that’s why being proactive and changing these pipes out before they begin to leach is so critical. Even the existing standard is really not safe enough.”

The town regularly tests its water to ensure that it is free of contaminants, including lead, Gillen said. The pipes that are now being used — one- to two-foot-long tubes called “goosenecks” — connect the water main to the service line. The lead goosenecks were standard issue in the 1920s, Gillen explained, when Point Lookout was transitioning from a seasonal beach bungalow community to a year-round residential one.

The current industry standard is copper pipes, Gillen added, noting that the town will begin to replace the pipes next month. Town employees worked with Reinhardt for months to survey the community, inspect underground infrastructure and identify where the lead pipes were located, officials said.

“The best thing a homeowner can do is when they use their water first thing in the morning, let the water run for a minute or so just to flush their own system in their house,” Reinhardt said.

Town officials said the pipes are in relatively good condition but are reaching the end of their lifespan. “This is a proactive project that is seeking to address potential health risks before they become an issue, not afterwards,” Gillen said.

Point Lookout Civic Association President Matt Brennan said there would be minimal disruptions for residents, and that he would work to keep people informed throughout the process.

“It’s better to prevent the contamination from getting in the water rather than filter it out afterwards,” Esposito said. “It’s $600,000 of prevention, which is worth millions of dollars of cleaning this up or dealing with people’s health concerns.”

Proposed Sea Gates in NYC to Guard Against Storm Surge Draws Concern from LI

Proposed sea gates in NYC to guard against storm surge draws concern from LI

The plans explore the feasibility of placing massive gates in the waters and sea walls on the shores to stem the tide during major weather events.

Posted: October 24, 2018
Originally Published: October 23, 2018

Long Island-based environmentalists urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rethink several design plans to construct massive gates in the waters near New York City that might protect the city from a hurricane-induced storm surge but flow back onto coastal areas of Nassau and Suffolk, flooding those areas.

“We need the Army Corps to come up with a protection plan that not only protects New York City but also protects Long Island,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, who bemoaned the fact that Long Island was not considered in the proposals. “We love New York City but we don’t want to be sacrificed to protect it.”

Esposito spoke during a news conference with other activists before the Corps’ public hearing on the tidal gates at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point.

“Climate change and sea level rise is real and we have to figure out how we’re going to address it,” said Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who urged the Army Corps to conduct a public hearing on Long Island before proceeding with what could be a $20 billion project.

As many as 75 people listened to the Army Corps outline five plans — one of which includes doing nothing — to guard against the effects of rising sea levels and events like superstorm Sandy. The plans explore the feasibility of placing massive gates in the waters and sea walls on the shores to stem the tide during major weather events.

Gates have been installed in a number of places around the world including Denmark, New Orleans, London and Holland, but area activists said conditions in those areas are unlike those in the New York area, where the gates would fend off an ocean’s wrath only to disperse the waters onto nearby tracts of land.

Bryce Wisemiller, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, walked the group of activists, elected officials and concerned citizens through the plans aided by renderings. He commented on their details. He stressed that the Corps is still in the preliminary stages of any project and that construction likely would not begin until 2030 or so.

Afterward, the audience posed dozens of questions, including “Do the gates move?”

The gates do move, he said. “That’s why we call them gates,” he said.

A draft study of the findings so far is scheduled to be released in January, Wisemiller said.

Environmentalists Wary of Plan to Build Storm Gates Around NYC, LI

Environmentalists wary of plan to build storm gates around NYC, LI

Posted: October 24, 2018
Originally Published: October 23, 2018

KINGS POINT - Environmentalists are urging the Army Corps of Engineers to reject a plan meant to protect New York from a major hurricane.

The Army Corps of Engineers is studying six options to protect New York and New Jersey's harbors and tributaries.

One option is to build giant storm gates and storm surge barriers around New York and Long Island.

Environmentalists fear the man-made barriers could deflect storm surges toward Long Island and increase coastal flooding.

"This to me is our modern day 'Watergate,' says Adrienne Esposito, of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "They want to put up these water gates to protect the city but Long Island could indeed suffer severely for it."

Evironmentalists also are concerned that sea barriers would slowly cut off nutrients from New York Harbor and prevent contaminants from washing into the ocean.

At a public meeting Tuesday in Kings Point, the Army Corps tried to reassure Long Island residents.

"If there are indications that there will be those types of impacts, those alternatives will only go forward if we fully address those induced flooding impacts," says Bryce Wisemuller, of the Army Corps of Engineers.

A final plan is not expected to be released until 2021.

Watch the video.

September Newsletter

Highlights

Protecting Our Drinking Water from 1,4-Dioxane

CCE is fighting for a health-based NYS drinking water standard for 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen that has been detected at high levels in Long Island wells. Not only do we need to ban 1,4-dioxane in personal care products, but we need to treat the existing contamination to protect public health as well. The NYS Drinking Water Council, which is charged with creating a drinking water standard for 1,4-dioxane, has yet to take action. In September, we joined NYS Senators Hannon, Marcellino, and Phillips to call on NYS to set a health-based drinking water standard and mandate the removal of this harmful chemical from our drinking water.

Keeping Up the Fight Against Plastic Pollution

September was a busy and very successful month in both NY and CT in our work to prevent plastic—from tiny plastic microfibers to the ubiquitous plastic bag—from polluting our communities and treasured waters:

• Victory! Ulster Becomes First NY County to Ban Plastic Bags: The Ulster County Legislature passed a ban on single-use plastic bags, along with a 5-cent fee on paper bags, to incentivize people to BYOBag (bring your own bag). A huge thank you to Legislator Tracey Bartels and the other bill champions, who worked for years to pass a very strong BYOBag bill. Next up in Ulster: reducing plastic straws!

• Victory! Stamford, CT Bans Plastic Bags: The Stamford Board of Representatives voted yes to ban single-use plastic bags and place a 10-cent fee on paper bags! Thank you to our partners at BYO Stamford and the hundreds of people who called their legislators this September in support of the bill.

• Combating Plastic Microfibers in CT: We participated in the first meeting of the Connecticut Microfiber Working Group, a consortium of apparel industry professionals, environmental advocates, and academics working to identify the most common sources of plastic microfiber pollution and create a consumer awareness and education campaign about the problem. Up to 1.7 million tons of microfibers—often coming from clothing—enter our environment every year! We can get ahead of this problem, but the time for action is now.

• Cleaning Up the Patchogue River: We joined the National Park Service and Village of Patchogue, NY for their annual river cleanup. Although BYOBag bills in Patchogue and Suffolk (along with the polystyrene ban in Patchogue) have helped reduce plastic litter, we still have a lot of work to do to prevent plastic pollution, and cleanups are still needed.

Happenings

Another Summer of Discontent for LI Waters

CCE and our partners the Long Island Clean Water Partnership joined Dr. Chris Gobler for our end of summer report on the state of Long Island's waters. Unfortunately, harmful algal blooms plagued our bays and estuaries and posed a growing threat to our fisheries, beaches, and public health once again. Excessive nitrogen from sewage and septic systems continues to degrade our waters, but there is some good news. In some areas where nitrogen pollution has been significantly reduced, like Western Long Island Sound, we are seeing improved water quality and decreased hypoxia! If you missed it, you can still watch the whole press conference.

Restoring the Great Lakes = Big Economic Returns

A new study by the University of Michigan showed that investments in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) have resulted in a more than 3-1 return on investment. Not only is the GLRI making our lakes healthier, but it is also contributing to increased waterfront development, tourism, and home values, which all benefit the economy. The study looked at the City of Buffalo and found that Great Lakes restoration is estimated to provide more than a 4-1 return on investment in the decades to come! In September, we continued to fight for full funding of the GLRI, despite attempts by the President to slash funding for the critical program.

Pushing for Better Recycling in CT

CCE's Louis Burch was elected to the Connecticut Recycling Coalition (CRC) board at the CRC's annual business meeting in Branford, CT. CRC's membership includes corporate, municipal, institutional, and private members working to advance Connecticut's recycling and materials management programs and services on both the local and state levels. Formed in 1989, CRC assists members in improving the efficacy of their own programs, educating the community and advocating policies and programs that make recycling more effective, economical, and robust throughout the state. We're excited to join the CRC and advance recycling in CT!

Celebrating Long Island's Estuaries

In September, CCE joined our partners in Long Island water protection for Estuary Day at Seatuck Environmental Association in Islip. The event brought together diverse groups to celebrate the beauty and natural resources of Long Island's Estuaries of National Significance. The public had an opportunity to participate in a coastal cleanup, wildlife hikes, and information sessions to learn more about our local communities' efforts to protect Long Island's coastal waterways. We were delighted to collaborate with Cornell Cooperative Extension to give a presentation on our Sound Gardening program, with information on how homeowners can make landscaping choices that better protect Long Island's water for the future!

NY: We Want Offshore Wind

This summer, Governor Cuomo announced that NYS will be procuring 800 MW of offshore wind by 2019 as part of the State's goal of reaching 2,400 MW by 2030. Last month, CCE joined our environmental and labor partners at meetings held by NYSERDA in NYC and Long Beach to learn more about the plan to bring offshore wind to NY. Before the Long Beach meeting, we joined Senator Todd Kaminsky for a great press conference on the need to move forward with responsibly-sited wind projects and move away from fossil fuels.

CCE's Adrienne Esposito Wins HSBC Cares Customer of the Year Award

At a ceremony held at Gotham Hall, in New York City, HSBC Cares awarded CCE Executive Director Adrienne Esposito with its Customer of the Year for Environment Award. HSBC Cares is a program by HSBC Bank that recognizes community heroes. Adrienne was recognized as an HSBC customer who has made a significant contribution to protecting communities against environmental threats that imperil our air, water, and land.

Suffolk County: Change Out Your Septic System

Over the summer and fall, we have been hosting a series of forums highlighting the importance of reducing nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and cesspools. We will be helping residents secure grants to change out their old systems for new, on-site, nitrogen-reducing treatment systems through Suffolk County's Reclaim Our Water program. So far, we have held forums for residents of Huntington, Smithtown, Centereach, Cold Spring Harbor, and Riverhead and have received a great response. Our next forum is at East Northport Public Library on November 29, and we hope to see you there!

August Newsletter

Highlights

Brookhaven Residents and Teachers Sue Over Landfill

After years of suffering health impacts and diminished quality of life due to unbearable odors from the Brookhaven Landfill, community members, teachers, and parents have filed a lawsuit against the Town. CCE joined plaintiffs and lawyers at a press conference announcing that 25 plaintiffs filed a Notice of Claim, which means the Town has 90 days to respond before the lawsuits get filed in NYS Supreme Court. This action is an act of last resort because the Town has ignored requests to meet. At Frank P. Long School, 35 out of 105 staff members have been diagnosed with cancer.

Happenings

Improving Water Quality in Long Island Sound

As summer ends we are gearing up for the 2019 budget and urging our NYS leaders to push for critical funding and legislation to protect Long Island Sound. We attended a public hearing held by NYS Assembly Members Englebright and D'Urso in August focusing on improving water quality in Long Island Sound. CCE pushed our NYS leaders on Long Island Sound to champion priority legislation, including banning 1,4-dioxane in products, allowing Nassau and Suffolk Counties to create reoccurring revenue streams for sewage and septic upgrades, prohibiting offshore drilling, funding water quality monitoring in North Shore embayments, and passing a comprehensive Bring Your Own Bag bill to prevent plastic pollution.

Resisting EPA Attacks on the Environment

August was a busy month in our work to fight back against federal rollbacks to policies that protect public health and the environment. We weighed in against EPA's ill-conceived proposal to repeal the Clean Water Rule, which was established in 2015 to protect the streams and wetlands that support drinking water for 117 million Americans. We also opposed a proposed EPA policy that would restrict the use of sound science when establishing or evaluating policies, which in practice would make it easier for EPA to weaken or repeal regulations thoughtfully crafted to address a variety of key issues from climate change, to pesticides, to protecting children from lead in paint. 

Pushing for Better Recycling in CT

Connecticut is the epicenter of the U.S. reverse-vending industry, and CCE and our partners are committed to modernizing the state's bottle bill in 2019! In August, CCE and other members of the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition took a tour of Envipco's headquarters in Naugatuck. We got a firsthand glimpse of the company's state of the art manufacturing facility and an opportunity to check out the newest advancements in container-redemption technology.

Breaking the Plastic Habit at Alive After 5 in Patchogue

CCE joined tens of thousands Long Islanders at Alive After 5 in Patchogue this August for a great night of food, drinks, and live music. We joined our partners in the fight against plastic pollution to educate the public on the threat single-use plastics pose to marine life and urged people go plastic-free with pasta straws, reusable utensils, and reusable bags. Thanks to all of our partners at the event, who came with great games for kids, live animals, and giveaways. Patchogue has already banned plastic bags and polystyrene, but we can all still remember to #skipthestraw and stop using other single-use plastics to protect our lakes and bays!

Creating a Cleaner, Low-Carbon Transportation Future for NY

In Syracuse, we joined the discussion of potential policy approaches and strategies to bring about a cleaner and more resilient transportation future in New York. The NYSDEC, NYSERDA, and NYSDOT held regional stakeholder discussions to encourage conversations about clean transportation. We discussed the need to reduce climate change emissions, expand access to electric vehicles, and curb harmful air pollution from transportation.

Creating an Artificial Reef off the Coast of Hempstead, NY

CCE was pleased to join Governor Andrew Cuomo to witness the creation of an artificial reef in a 744-acre site off the south shore of Long Island. New York State is embarking on the largest artificial reef expansion in state history, expanding a total of 12 artificial reefs, which include two reefs in Long Island Sound, two in the Great South Bay, and eight in the Atlantic Ocean. The reef expansions are made out of recycled structures including rock, concrete, and steel, which settle to the sea floor and create new habitat for larger fish like blackfish, black seabass, cod, and summer flounder, as well as encrusting creatures like barnacles, sponges, anemones, corals, and mussels. We're excited to see how these recycled structures create habitats similar to natural reefs over time.

Suffolk County: Change Out Your Septic System

Over the summer and fall, we are hosting a series of forums highlighting the importance of reducing nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and cesspools. We will be helping residents secure grants to change out their old systems for new, on-site, nitrogen-reducing treatment systems through Suffolk County's Reclaim Our Water program. So far, we have held forums for Huntington and Riverhead residents and have received a great response. Our next forum is at Smithtown Library at 7pm on September 24, and we hope to see you there!

Improving Fish Habitat in the Carmans River

We were thrilled to participate in the signing of a Suffolk County resolution that will appropriate $1 million toward the completion of the Carmans River Fish Ladder Project, which will open up the last remaining barrier to fish passage on the Carmans River in Yaphank. As one of Long Island's Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers, the Carmans has long been a top destination for anglers. This project will open up approximately six miles of river and lake habitat for alewife, eels, and various trout species.

"The Health and Science of Our Bays: A Fire Island Perspective"

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Village of Saltaire for our "The Health and Science of Our Bays: A Fire Island Perspective" public forum. We were joined by environmental and governmental experts from the United States Geological Survey, Suffolk County Health Department, and The Nature Conservancy to discuss Fire Island's water quality challenges and solutions.

July Newsletter

Highlights

Victory! Governor Cuomo Signs Drug Take Back Act into Law

Governor Cuomo signed the Drug Take Back Act into law, which will help keep unused drugs out of the hands of abusers and out of our treasured water resources. This landmark bill ensures that the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry—not the taxpayers—will fund a robust, statewide program to provide all New Yorkers with convenient access to safe pharmaceutical drug disposal options. It requires that all chain pharmacies provide a safe drug disposal option for customers and allows police precincts and independent pharmacies to also participate. In July, we celebrated this victory at a press conference with the bill's champion, Senator Kemp Hannon.

Victory! Governor Malloy Signs Improved Sewage Right to Know Law

CCE joined CT Governor Dannel Malloy as he signed a bill strengthening the state's Sewage Right to Know Law. CCE successfully advocated for CT's Sewage Right to Know Law in 2012, which aimed to mandate that residents be notified when a sewage overflow occurs in their area. That law had fallen short in providing all residents in every community with convenient access to timely information on sewage overflows, which is why CCE fought for an improved bill this year. Now, all wastewater treatment plant operators are required to report sewage overflows electronically, making the information available to the public online. The law also requires plant operators to notify municipal leaders about sewage overflows in their communities so those leaders can take actions to protect their residents. A huge thank you to everyone who helped get this necessary public health protection law passed!

CCE Releases 1,4-Dioxane Shoppers Guide

Since the release of our report on widespread 1,4-dioxane contamination in Long Island drinking water last year, concerned residents have asked what personal care products put them at risk of exposure to 1,4-dioxane. This contaminant is a byproduct of manufacturing and is not listed on product labels, so CCE went to work to find the answer! We had 30 personal care products, including shampoos, bath soaps, baby products, and detergents, independently tested for 1,4-dioxane. Of the 30 products, 23 tested positive for the contaminant! To find out which products had high levels of 1,4-dioxane and learn more about our fight to protect public health and our drinking water from this emerging contaminant, check out our shopper's guide.

Happenings

Fighting the Trump Administration's Rollbacks to Endangered Species Protections

In July, CCE's Louis Burch joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal at a press conference condemning the Trump administration's plan to roll back critical provisions of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). For the last 45 years, the ESA has effectively helped identify and protect more than 2,300 endangered plant and animal species and their habitats. We cannot afford to lose these crucial protection measures and put our endangered species at further risk.

Ending the Use of Dirty Coal and Fighting Climate Change in New York State

We attended public hearings in WNY and in Albany on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's proposed rule to phase out the use of dirty coal power in the state by 2020! We spoke in support of these first-in-the-nation regulations and provided recommendations to make the regulations even stronger by ensuring that the retired coal plants do not repower with fracked gas.

What Causes NY's Worst Cancer Clusters?

Governor Cuomo has announced a new cancer research initiative focusing on exploring environmental factors that contribute to high rates of cancer in certain New York communities. The study focuses on four regions: the western part of the state surrounding Erie County, the eastern part of the state surrounding Warren County, Staten Island, and an area of Long Island including Selden, Farmingville, and Centereach. CCE attended a community meeting on Long Island to discuss the new initiative, the toll high cancer rates have taken on families and communities, and potential environmental issues that contribute to this problem locally.

Creating a Living Barrier Reef in Lido Beach, NY

CCE's Maureen Dolan Murphy joined Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, Senator Todd Kaminsky, Town Councilwoman Erin King-Sweeney, and Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana to launch a living barrier reef around Long Meadow Island, off the coast of Lido Beach on Long Island. The reef is composed of tens of thousands of discarded clam and oyster shells from nearby seafood restaurants. Hundreds of mesh bags containing the discarded shells were linked together and submerged in the Western Bays to restore wetlands and encourage proliferation of oysters and clams.

Saying No to Fracking Waste

Fracking waste threatens our land, water, and health. To help educate municipal recyclers on the dangers of hazardous fracking waste, CCE moderated a panel discussion at the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition Breakfast Series. We joined state and local elected officials, other environmental advocates, and oil and gas industry experts to discuss the potential impacts this fracking waste poses to our communities and our environment.

Restoring Canaan Lake in Patchogue, NY

Canaan Lake in Patchogue was dying, overrun by invasive species and experiencing algal blooms due to excessive nitrogen pollution. The only way to restore water quality in the lake was to drain it, dredge the lake bed to remove any remaining stems and roots of invasive plants, and allow it to refill with groundwater. The first step of this process, draining the lake, has been completed. In July, we joined Suffolk County Executive Bellone, Legislator Calarco, and community leaders to announce that the County has approved the funding for the second step, dredging the lake bed. We look forward to a restored, pristine Canaan Lake for Long Island soon!

Suffolk County Residents: Change Out Your Septic System (and Make a Short Film)

Over the summer and fall, CCE is hosting a series of forums highlighting the importance of reducing nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and cesspools. We will be helping residents get grants to change out their old systems for new, on-site, nitrogen-reducing treatment systems through Suffolk County's Reclaim Our Water program. So far, we have held forums for Huntington and Riverhead residents and have received a great response, but community meetings aren't the only way to get out the word on this important issue. Want to help us educate the public on water protection, show off your creativity, and possibly win a cash prize? Reclaim Our Water is holding a film contest and asking residents to make short videos (15 seconds to 1 minute) on the importance of improving our water resources. First prize is $2,000! Learn more about the contest and how to enter.

Upcoming: "The Health and Science of Our Bays: A Fire Island Perspective"

CCE will be co-hosting a forum titled "The Health and Science of Our Bays: A Fire Island Perspective" on August 17, from 10:00–11:30am, at the firehouse at 105 Broadway Walk, in the Village of Saltaire. It will be a discussion with environmental and governmental experts on water quality challenges and solutions. Speakers include Adrienne Esposito from CCE and representatives from the United States Geological Survey, Suffolk County Health Department, and The Nature Conservancy.

Landmark DEC Report Calls for Pharmaceutical Industry to Fund Safe Drug Disposal New York State

Groups applaud critical DEC report--call for legislature to pass Drug Take Back Act before end of session; Safe drug disposal of unused and expired prescription drugs critical to address opioid crisis and protect waters from contamination

Albany, NY—A coalition of environmental, public health, and product stewardship organizations are praising the Governor and DEC for their recently released report (available at dontflushyourdrugs.net), which calls for a robust, statewide safe pharmaceutical disposal program that is funded by the pharmaceutical industry. Governor Cuomo called for the report when he vetoed a poorly crafted pharmaceutical disposal bill that passed the legislature last year. Bipartisan state legislation, known as the Drug Take Back Act (S.7354 –Hannon / A.9576a – Gunther), which would establish a statewide safe drug disposal program funded by the pharmaceutical industry, is pending* in the Senate and Assembly. The groups are calling on the legislature to pass agreed upon legislation before the end of session.

Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment said, “The Governor got it right—the pharmaceutical industry must take responsibility for its waste, not the taxpayers. It seems that wherever researchers look for drugs in our waters, they are now finding it. We expect the shellfish and finfish we eat to be a source of nutrition, not opioids. There is a grave urgency to provide all New Yorkers with safe and convenient options for drug disposal, which the Drug Take Back Act will provide. We are counting on the Senate and Assembly to work together and get the bill passed this session.”

Emerging science is demonstrating that pharmaceutical drugs that are flushed are polluting our waters and adversely impacting aquatic life. A 2017 study of the Niagara River found high levels of antidepressants in brains of numerous fish. A 2016 study by Riverkeeper found 16 different pharmaceutical compounds, including those to treat blood pressure, cholesterol, and epilepsy, in the Hudson River. Most recently a study conducted by the Puget Sound Institute discovered trace amounts of oxycodone in bay mussels—the first time that opioids have been found in shellfish.

Dan Shapley, Water Quality Program Director for Riverkeeper said, “Riverkeeper thanks the Governor and the DEC for joining advocates in calling for a safe and convenient drug take back program funded by the pharmaceutical industry. With our partners at Cornell University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, we have conducted first-of-their-kind surveys of pharmaceuticals in the Hudson River Estuary. We have detected 50 different pharmaceutical compounds, with greater numbers found in samples at or near municipal wastewater treatment plant outfalls. Unfortunately, Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals from the water before discharge. We strongly encourage the Assembly and Senate to pass the bipartisan Drug Take Back Act before the end of session.”

Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, said, "We are facing an environmental and health crisis due to the improper disposal of pharmaceutical drugs. Flushing and throwing away unused drugs can cause water contamination and negatively impacts public health. A safe pharmaceutical disposal program would improve our water quality and we urge our state legislators in Albany to implement such a program before this session ends." 
A lack of options to safely dispose of unused drugs is contributing to the national drug abuse epidemic that is now the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., ahead of car accidents. Deaths from drug overdoses and chronic drug abuse in New York State have increased 71 percent between 2010 and 2015.

Andrew Radin, Chair of the New York Product Stewardship Council and Recycling Director for Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency said, "Over 2,000 people in New York die annually from opioid overdose, most commonly from prescription pain relievers. Because 70 percent of people who start misusing drugs get them from the homes of family and friends, the Drug Take-Back Act will save lives by stopping prescription drug abuse at its source."

“The DEC report is an important step for New York that fully aligns with an increasing number of governments across the U.S. that require pharmaceutical companies to fund and manage safe drug take-back programs,” said Scott Cassel, Chief Executive Officer of the Product Stewardship Institute. “Passing a bill will establish New York as a national leader in protecting water quality from improperly disposed medications and addressing the opioid addiction issue head on.”

The report is available at www.dontflushyourdrugs.net

*Senate passed the Drug Take Back Act in April, although the bill was recalled to the Senate, as the Senate and Assembly bills are not same as. The Assembly bill currently sits in the Codes committee.

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Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) empowers communities and advocates solutions for our shared environment and public health and is supported by over 80,000 members throughout New York State and Connecticut. www.citizenscampaign.org

Groups Provide Vision for Water Protection in NYS

During Earth Week, a broad, diverse group of experts announce unprecedented collaborative effort to protect NY waters; New report released: “Protecting Our Water from Source to Tap: A Vision for Water Protection in New York State”

Albany, NY—A network of environmental groups, environmental justice organizations, academia, wastewater treatment operators, drinking water suppliers, and government entities from across New York State released a report today entitled “Protecting Our Water from Source to Tap: A Vision for Water Protection in New York State.” The groups worked in an unprecedented collaboration to develop a menu of options for policies, funding, programs, and actions at the federal, state, and local level that would address New York’s critical clean water needs now and in the years ahead. The groups are sharing the report with policymakers and other key water stakeholders across the state.
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“New York State is making great progress with recent historic investments in water protection, however, we have a long way to go to ensure clean, safe water for all New Yorkers from its source all the way to the tap,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “We brought together a diverse group of water experts to discuss emerging threats to our water resources and explore options to protect clean water from the Great Lakes to Long Island’s sole source aquifer, now and in the years ahead. We now look forward to discussions with policymakers across the state that this report will facilitate.” 

Solutions are primarily focused on issues related to wastewater infrastructure, drinking water infrastructure, and source water protection. The report examines new innovative ideas, as well as ways to bolster existing programs that address policy and funding gaps in water protection. While the report recognizes that protecting New York’s water will require significant funding—New York’s wastewater and drinking needs are estimated at over $80 billion over the next 20 years—it also recognizes the need to ensure that when investments are made, clean water is kept affordable for all New Yorkers.

The report was led by Citizens Campaign for the Environment, with financial support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Park Foundation. Participating groups include Stony Brook University, New York Water Environment Association, Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection, Orange County Water Authority, Riverkeeper, New York Rural Water Association, New York Section of the American Water Works Association, Wayne County Water and Sewer Authority, City of Newburgh, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Port Washington Water District, People United for Sustainable House (PUSH) Buffalo, Partnership for the Public Good, City of Albany POTW, Environmental Advocates of New York, Adirondack Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, and Hudson River Watershed Alliance.

Geoffrey Baldwin, NYWEA President said, “The NY Water Environment Association is honored to collaborate with other environmental advocacy organizations on important water quality issues that affect public health and the environment. Complicated water issues need to be understood by elected officials and the general public, this report helps to communicate well our environmental challenges.” 

Judith Hansen, Chair of NYSAWWA said, “The New York Section of the American Water Works Association (NYSAWWA) was pleased to work with other stakeholders to offer ideas and solutions to the challenges facing New York’s waters. While the NYSAWWA and its members are dedicated to the stewardship of our drinking water resources, we recognize that resolving such problems as harmful algal blooms, emerging contaminants and aging infrastructure requires a true community response with participation from all sectors. The preservation of our quality of life and the protection of the public health depends on our continued collaboration.” 

Jessica Ottney Mahar, policy director for The Nature Conservancy in New York said, “The Nature Conservancy applauds Citizens Campaign for the Environment for convening organizations and experts to discuss threats to New York’s water resources, and for creating this important report capturing many policy opportunities we can work together to advance, building upon the progress already made with state funding and focus on this critical issue.”

Dan Shapley Water Quality Program Director for Riverkeeper said, “New York has taken historic strides to address some of the most important water issues of our day, including the need to upgrade of aging water infrastructure and to protect high quality drinking water at its source. We still have a long way to go to effectively manage watersheds, conserve water and ensure that the cost of needed investments are shared equitably. This document, and the group Citizens Campaign for the Environment convened to produce it, represent another step forward.”

Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, said, "Citizens Campaign for the Environment has crafted a roadmap for protecting New York's water resources that we are proud to support. Clean water is one of the defining environmental issues of our time and we look forward to working with advocates, elected officials, and other stakeholders to advance this vision." 

“Clean and abundant supplies of water are the life blood of New York’s prosperity. But if we do not respect and protect this essential resource, the repercussions will be irreversible and potentially catastrophic to our economy and quality of life,” said Roger Downs, Conservation Director for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “We call upon the Legislature and policy makers to use this report as framework for action to sustain New York’s clean water legacy.”

Senate Budget Calls on Pharmaceutical Industry to Fund Safe Drug Disposal in NY

Diverse coalition calls on Assembly and Governor to follow suit in final budget; Safe drug disposal of unused and expired drugs critical to address opioid crisis and protect waters from contamination

Albany, NY—A broad group of public health, sportsmen, product stewardship, and environmental organizations are calling on the Governor and Assembly to support the Drug Take Back Act in the final state budget. The Act was included in the New York State Senate’s budget proposal. The legislation would establish a robust, statewide program to provide safe pharmaceutical disposal for all New Yorkers. Pharmaceutical manufacturers, rather than the taxpayers, would foot the entire bill for implementing the program. Chain pharmacies would be required to provide take-back, while other authorized collectors (e.g. independent pharmacies, local law enforcement) would have the option of participating.

Unused drugs stockpiled in household medicine cabinets or disposed in the trash often end up in the hands of children, teenagers, and abusers, which contributes to accidental poisonings and the opioid crisis. The lack of disposal options is also perpetuating the antiquated practice of flushing unused or expired drugs, which is polluting our treasured waters across the state with trace amounts of pharmaceutical drugs. The DEA, EPA, and numerous other agencies agree that the safest method of pharmaceutical disposal is through take-back programs (i.e., drug collection drop-boxes hosted by law enforcement and retail pharmacies, mail-back programs, or municipal take-back events).

“New York State and local governments are already spending millions of dollars annually on safe disposal programs, yet far too many New Yorkers still do not have convenient access to safe disposal options,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “In a year where the state faces a shortfall of over $4 billion, it is unfathomable that the multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry pays nothing to deal with its own waste and taxpayers continue to foot the bill. We are counting on the Governor and Assembly to join the Senate in including this critical legislation in the final budget.”

Wastewater treatment systems and septic systems are not designed to remove these contaminants, resulting in pharmaceutical pollution in waters across the state. Recent studies have shown high levels of antidepressants in fish in the Niagara River and the feminization of male fish (produced eggs) in Jamaica Bay that were exposed to hormones (birth control). Most recently, the Hudson Riverkeeper conducted studies on pharmaceutical pollution in the Hudson River.

Paul Gallay, President and Hudson Riverkeeper, said: “When Riverkeeper has partnered with scientists to look for pharmaceuticals in the Hudson River, we've found dozens - including some at concentrations that could affect aquatic life. The Drug Take-Back Act would help remove one important source of water contamination, by establishing a program funded by pharmaceutical manufacturers, not consumers or taxpayers. We are calling on the Governor and the New York State Legislature to pass the Drug Take-Back Act and ensure that pharmacies provide drop boxes to make it easy and convenient for people to properly dispose of unused medications.”

“Pharmaceutical companies are best positioned to minimize the adverse impacts of their products,” said Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of the Product Stewardship Institute. “Through the Drug Take-Back Act, drug companies will fund the safe drug disposal for all New York residents, giving them incentive to reduce the amount of leftover medication.”

"Pharmaceuticals are among many emerging contaminants being found in the Great Lakes and local waterways, posing new and unknown risks to wildlife, ecosystems, and our drinking water. As part of our action agenda for our shared waters, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper will work to minimize the impacts of emerging contaminants and is committed to partnering with government and academic institutions on pharmaceutical take-back programs to keep these contaminants out of our water," said Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka.

In the U.S., eighteen counties and two states (Massachusetts and Vermont) have passed similar manufacturer-funded pharmaceutical disposal laws. This includes Rockland County, which recently became the first local government in New York State to pass this type of law (similar laws have been introduced in Erie and Westchester Counties). Experience has demonstrated that cost to manufacturers is negligible—it is estimated to cost approximately one cent per $10 of medications sold.

A lack of options to safely dispose of unused drugs is contributing to the national drug abuse epidemic that is now the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., ahead of car accidents. Deaths from drug overdoses and chronic drug abuse in New York State have increased 71 percent between 2010 and 2015.

"Over 2,000 people in New York die annually from opioid overdose, most commonly from prescription pain relievers. Because 70 percent of people who start misusing drugs get them from the homes of family and friends, the Drug Take-Back Act will save lives by stopping prescription drug abuse at its source," said Andrew Radin, Chair of the New York Product Stewardship Council and Recycling Director for Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency.

While the groups strongly support the Drug Take Back Act, they are also advocating that legislators make important improvements to the proposal before it is finalized in the budget. The groups are calling for the program to require the use of drop-boxes, which have been shown to be the most effective method of collection. The groups are also advocating that a convenience standard is established to ensure equal access for all New Yorkers, and that improvements are made to program reporting and education and outreach.
 

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