State Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R, Syosset) announced today that the Senate has passed his legislation, Senate Bill 7525, which requires the Office of General Services to provide one bin for recyclable drink containers for every four trash cans on state property.
The Office of General Services will provide recycling bins for drink containers across state property. Drink containers are glass, metal or plastic containers that can hold up to one gallon of a beverage. On average, approximately 40 tons of glass, metal, and plastic containers are collected for recycling on State property ever year, according to a 2003 report from the Office of General Services.
"It’s time for New York State to take the necessary measures to ensure that every drink container is recycled," Senator Marcellino said. "New York’s current recycling rate is unacceptable. Many drink containers are carelessly thrown into regular trash cans when they could just as easily be placed in the proper recycling bin. The entire State has the potential to obtain a far greater number of recyclables."
The current recycling method with a central location for bottles has only yielded a 20% return rate. But the new legislation will lead to an 80% collection rate of containers.
"The benefit of recycling has been proven time and time again. After twenty years of working on recycling efforts on State property, it’s time for New York State to walk the walk by making these programs more effective. More containers need to start showing up in recycling bins, instead of falling through the cracks and into our landfills," Senator Marcellino concluded.
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