[GreenYes] NYSAR Praises Governor Spitzer for Inclusion of Bottle Bill Expansion in Budget

["Pete Wirth" <pwirth2@no.address>]

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Contact                                                           
For Immediate Release
Jeff Cooper
President, NYSAR3
315-453-2866
315-952-4597 cell 
jcooper@no.address

State's Recycling Organization Praises Governor Spitzer
for Inclusion of Bottle Bill Expansion in Budget

Syracuse, NY - The New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and
Recycling (NYSAR3) applauded Governor Spitzer for including the Bigger
Better Bottle Bill (BBBB) provisions in the budget he released
today.

"If these provisions are included in the final State budget they
would have an immediate impact on reducing the amount of litter on and in
New York?s roads and waterways. It would also raise $100 million for the
State's environmental programs. A large portion of these funds would go
to support local recycling programs,? said Jeff Cooper, President of
NYSAR3.  "More importantly, it would greatly increase recycling
of beverage containers." 

The provision would require that almost all beverage containers would
have a 5 cent deposit. The current law limits redemption to soda and beer
containers, or carbonated beverages. Currently, about 8 out of 10
containers that carry a deposit are recycled, while less than half of
non-redeemable containers are recycled.

Increased recycling of beverage containers would save energy, reduce
emissions of greenhouse gasses, save natural resources and preserve
landfill space.

"Aluminum cans and plastic bottles are in great demand by
manufacturers," said Jeff Edwards, NYSAR3's Legislative Committee
Chair. "By increasing recycling of these materials we are not only
helping the environment, we are helping the economy.?
 
Recycling beverage containers through the bottle bill system, rather than
through curbside collection, also often creates higher value materials.
Glass recycled from redemption systems is less contaminated and therefore
more likely to be to be made into new glass bottles. 


NYSAR3 is the New York State affiliate of the National Recycling
Coalition. It represents about one hundred and fifty recycling experts
from municipal, corporate and not-for-profit recycling operations as well
as those that strongly support recycling. NYSAR3's,
www.nysar3.org
mission is to support recycling in New York State.

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