new york and product stewardship new york product stewardship council contact@nypsc.org 917-597-2119...

New York and Product Stewardship

New York Product Stewardship Council

contact@nypsc.org

917-597-2119

www.NYPSC.org

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An overview of today’s presentation• What is the waste management problem facing New York and

the U.S. today?

• What is Product Stewardship and Extended Producer

Responsibility (EPR)?

• Why is New York focusing on product stewardship and EPR?

• The New York Product Stewardship Council (NYPSC)

• How to get involved

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What is the Problem?

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• Hundreds of products that we use every day

•Products reach end of life & must be disposed of and managed properly

•Result in a lot of garbage – 250 BILLION tons/year

25,000 lbs. of minerals extracted from the earth per person, per year!

Most of these environmental impacts are INVISIBLE to consumers.

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• Finite virgin resources mined, processed and manufactured

• Greenhouse gases produced;

29% from products

4 mg mercury

4 lbs lead; barium, nickel, cadmium, rare earth metals

4 g mercury

Beryllium, PVC, brominated flame retardants, lead,

copper

Nickel, lithium,

cadmium

Pharmaceutical compounds

0.8 g mercury

Some products contain toxins

Petrochemicals, volatile organic

compounds

BPA, endocrine disruptors

Brominated flame retardants

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Some products are bulky and hard to manage at end-of-life.

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We expect local governments to manage our complex waste stream

…and spend millions of tax dollars.

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…but, in turn, we end up spending millions in tax dollars to pay for it.

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Source: 2010 U.S. EPA Municipal Solid Waste Report, Facts and Figures.

We also waste valuable commodities.

2010 US MSW Disposal2010 US MSW DisposalMillions of Tons Millions of Tons

(percent)(percent)

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Source: PSI compilation of data from 2010 U.S. EPA Municipal Solid Waste Report, Facts and Figures.

This is not sustainable!

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The consequences are profound.

Environmental

Social

Economic

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• Optimize Current System or • Transform It?

• Implement Voluntary Programs or • Regulatory Programs?

So What Can We Do?

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• “Pay-as-you-throw” (unit pricing)• Public education• Landfill bans/mandatory recycling • Recycled content standards• Invest in upgraded recycling facility equipment• Improve communication between end-markets &

manufacturing process (closed loop recycling)

How Do We Optimize the Current System?

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How Do We Transform the Current System?

Extended Producer

Responsibility (EPR)

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• Minimizing health, safety, environmental, and social impacts

• Maximizing economic benefits of a product and its packaging

• Considering all lifecycle stages, from design to end-of-life

• Either voluntary or required by law

What is Product Stewardship?

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• The producer of the product has the greatest ability to

minimize adverse impacts.

• Many other stakeholders play a role, too.

Who’s Involved in Product Stewardship?

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• Mandatory product stewardship

• Producer’s responsibility for product extends to post-consumer management of product and packaging at end-of-life

• Central tenet of product stewardship

What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?

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Product Stewardship and EPR

Product Stewardship:Lifecycle and SustainabilityVoluntary or mandatory

EPR: End-of-lifeMandatory only

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EPR: Not Prescriptive• Government sets parameters, but allows flexibility for

producers to determine the most cost-effective solutions within those parameters

• Flexibility promotes a market-based solution to meet goals

EPR: Industry-Run• Government oversees law, but producers are

responsible for implementation

Essential Characteristics of EPR

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Current Practice: Taxpayers/Governments pay

EPR: Changing How Waste is Financed and Managed

• Recycling collection/infrastructure built into product price or company’s cost of doing business

• Producers responsible for financing and managing their products at end-of-life

• Producers internalize costs of reducing environmental externalities (unintended consequences)

EPR: Manufacturers/Product Purchasers pay

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Benefits of Product Stewardship:

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EPR shifts the costs and responsibility off government, even ifgovernment keepscollecting.

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That means tax dollars can be used to meet other needs in the

community…

…instead of paying to recycle or dispose of our old products.

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Why is New York focusing on Product Stewardship and EPR?• Local governments can’t solve this

problem on their own!

• Recycling rates are plateauing in NY

• New state property tax cap means local governments are seeking cost-saving measures

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Development of New York Product Stewardship Council (NYPSC)

• Created out of NECESSITY in March 2009 by NYS Association for Solid Waste Management

• Lots of support! NYSAR3NY-SWANAFederation of NY Solid Waste Management

AssociationsProduct Policy InstituteProduct Stewardship Institute, Inc.

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Who is the NYPSC today?Multi-stakeholder council with membership from:

• NY local governments• Businesses• Recycling professionals• Members of the environmental community

Goals:• To support sound product stewardship policies • To develop and recommend workable product stewardship polices, provide leadership and guidance• Educate all stakeholders on benefits

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Priorities

• Build and educate our support base engage more local governments

• Implement and strengthen current legislation (e.g., rechargeable batteries, electronics)

• Pass new legislation on new product categories (e.g., paint, carpeting, pharmaceuticals, thermostats, CFLs)

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Get Involved!Become an NYPSC Member or Partner:

• Stay informed on proposed legislation and new EPR laws and regulations

• Learn more about product stewardship

• Join the voice of NY local government to support new legislation

www.NYPSC.org

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Get Involved!Become a PSI Member or Partner, too:

• Stay informed on proposed national legislation, new EPR laws, and regulations in all 50 states that could impact New York

• Gain access to an international network of product stewardship and EPR experts

• Participate in strategic planning calls and meetings for product stewardship initiatives nationwide

www.productstewardship.us

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Take Advantage of Existing Programs

Participate in available collection programs:

Get Involved!

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Get Involved!Pass a product stewardship resolution:

Our website includes examples of local product stewardship resolutions from New York and the U.S., as well as a model resolution you can adapt for your own community.

Visit: www.nypsc.org/content/local-resolutions

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Thank You to Our Partners for Their Support

Platinum Partner

For more information on becoming an NYPSC Member or Partner, visit www.NYPSC.org.

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Thank You to Our Partners for Their Support

Gold Partners

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Thank You to Our Partners for Their Support

Silver Partners

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New York Product Stewardship CouncilMarjorie Torelli, Administrator

contact@nypsc.org917-597-2119

www.NYPSC.org

Thank You!

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