Keep the Hudson plastic-free: Write your elected officials to pass the Package Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act

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Keep the Hudson plastic-free: Write your elected officials to pass the Package Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act

plastics and trash on the beach
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Urge your legislators to address packaging waste and plastic pollution in New York, ban 15 of the most toxic chemicals found in packaging, and require companies to take responsibility for their role in the plastic pollution across our state.

At Riverkeeper’s annual Sweep, a day of service dedicated to cleaning the Hudson River and its tributaries from the Adirondacks to NYC, we see firsthand the consequences of excessive plastic packaging and poor recycling infrastructure. Last year alone, participants collected 31 tons of debris, including over 2 tons of recycling. Single-use plastics, including food packaging and bottles, made up the bulk of the trash at Sweep sites, with plastic bottles continuing to be the most common type of trash found in the river every year.

Contact your New York State Senator and Assemblymember ASAP to ask them to support the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act introduced by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick.

Instructions:

• Read the sample letter (below) and edit it as you see fit. Personalized letters are far more effective – even if you simply add an opening sentence.

We send your comments to your representatives by automatically filling out their online contact forms. Note that some representatives require more information like phone and full address.

• Complete the required fields and click “Send Message.”

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Dear: [Decision Maker],

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The Legislature must take decisive action to prevent plastic pollution in our environment and waterways by passing the critical Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (A5322-b/S4246-b) introduced by Assemblymember Glick and Senator Harckham. Despite recommendations in the state's Climate Law to adopt extended producer responsibility in packaging, last year's lengthy state budget approval process blocked a timely passage of this bill. With only a few months left in this year's legislative session, it is more urgent than ever to vote on this bill.

We see firsthand the consequences of excessive plastic packaging and poor recycling infrastructure during Riverkeeper's annual Sweep, a day of service dedicated to cleaning the Hudson River's shoreline from the Adirondacks to NYC. Last year alone, participants along the river collected 31 tons of debris, including over 2 tons of recycling, demonstrating the need for a better recycling infrastructure. Single-use plastics, including food packaging, made up the bulk of the trash collected at Sweep sites. Meanwhile, year after year, plastic bottles are persistently the most common type of trash found in the river, with volunteers collecting more than 3,100 plastic bottles from the Hudson and its tributaries.

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (A5322-b/S4246-b) introduced by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick would directly address plastic pollution at its sources and ensure that the correct infrastructure is put in place as we lean away from excessive plastic use. This bill would require companies to cut their single-use plastic packaging in half over the next 12 years, ban 15 of the most toxic chemicals currently used in packaging (including PFAS), and redesign their packaging to be refillable, reusable, or truly recyclable. This bill also flips the burden of funding the collection and management of packaging waste from taxpayers to the companies responsible for producing it, creating a much-needed funding stream to support our municipal recycling programs. Through this investment into our local recycling infrastructure, we can reduce the high volume of plastic pollution that causes climate change.

These problems are only getting worse and time is running out. The Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act offers an effective solution to our state's extreme packaging waste. I urge you to co-sponsor it without delay and work hard to pass it ASAP in the 2024 legislative session.

Thank you for considering my request. I hope you will be a leader in addressing these urgent issues.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]