New York - Legislature passes electronics recycling bill

Albany - New York state legislators passed a bill Friday creating a new electronics recycling program—against the wishes of business lobbies.

Democrats included the program in a bill that also contained funding to reopen 55 state parks and historic sites in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Republicans in the Assembly and Senate uniformly voted against the legislation, contending that the “e-waste” recycling mandates would raise taxes and fees on businesses.

The Business Council of New York State Inc. also decried the bill.

“At a time when New York state should be positioning itself to become more economically competitive, this bill imposes significant new costs on some of the state’s largest manufacturers,” the lobby said in a statement.

The legislation requires companies making or selling computers, TVs, iPods, printers and a range of other electronic equipment to begin recycling programs for consumers.

Manufacturers would need to pay $5,000 and register with the state by the end of this year, and pay a $3,000 annual reporting fee to disclose how much they’ve recycled from consumers.

Manufacturers would be required to collect the e-waste from consumers for free. The companies would be allowed to charge recycling fees to private-sector clients with more than 50 workers, or nonprofits with more than 75 workers.

The object of the bill is to cut down on the hazardous waste in landfills. It will also raise about $4 million a year in fees, including $1 million from the electronics manufacturers and $2 million from companies generating the most hazardous waste.

Republicans blasted the bill.

“This is masquerading as a park-opening bill. This is not a park-opening bill – this is a business-closing bill,” said Sen. James Alesi, of the Rochester area.

“This is a Trojan horse, within which there’s a whole host of new fees and taxes,” said Sen. Andrew Lanza, of Richmond County.

Sen. Hugh Farley (R-Niskayuna) also voted against the bill.

“Nobody in this chamber wants parks, historic sites and campgrounds open any more than I do. But what have we done? We have created a monster that raises taxes,” Farley said. “This drives businesses out of this state for no reason at all.”

Democrats countered, saying the bill actually decreases the hazardous waste fees on small businesses, while setting caps on fees for large companies.

“This bill only increases minor fees on people who are hazardous-waste generators. It decreases fees on the vast majority of the small businesses impacted by this,” said Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan). “It encourages companies to decrease the production of hazardous waste.”

“Either you want the parks open or you want the parks closed. Get the facts straight. Understand the math,” added Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn). “Hospitals will pay lower fees under this bill.”

Albany Business Review