N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 27-0717: Bureau of waste reduction and recycling

§ 27-0717. Bureau of waste reduction and recycling.

1. The commissioner, with the approval of the director of the division

of the budget, shall establish within the department a bureau of waste

reduction and recycling. Such bureau shall be a separate entity to

assist in the development and promotion of local waste reduction, source

separation and recycling programs. Such programs shall promote the

source separation, collection, intermediate processing and marketing of

waste materials that are now being disposed of as municipal solid waste

in New York state. The bureau shall:

(a) promote the development and implementation of programs by

municipalities;

(b) serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding existing source

separation and recycling programs;

(c) identify special needs and problems in developing and implementing

source separation and recycling programs, and recommend approaches and

solutions to address such identified needs and problems; and

(d) coordinate its activities with other solid waste assistance

programs of the department.

2. Pursuant to regulations promulgated in accordance with the state

administrative procedure act, the bureau shall establish an official

state recycling emblem and conduct a consumer awareness program with

respect thereto. Such emblem shall be of a design to include terms or

symbols for "New York State", and "recyclable" and/or "recycled" and/or

"reuseable". Standards for such terms or symbols shall be developed

pursuant to regulations which with respect to (a) "recyclable" shall

address material for which technologies or systems for reuse as a

secondary material exist; and (b) "recycled" shall address material

containing a specified minimum percentage by weight of secondary

materials content; and (c) "reusable" shall address ability to be

repeatedly returned for refilling or reuse with the original product.

Further, such regulations may stipulate prohibitions on the unauthorized

use of the state recycling emblem.

3. The bureau shall implement and conduct a program of public

education and information to inform the public and private sectors of

the state as to the merits of the use of secondary materials and for

consumers to actively seek consumer products which contain secondary

materials or which are easily recycled or reused. Such program shall

communicate the importance of minimizing the need for new solid waste

disposal capacity and of conserving natural resources, avoiding harm to

the environment or public health, and promoting resource conservation,

recovery and reuse by industry, the state of New York, public and

quasi-public agencies and authorities, local governments and the general

public of the state.

4. The bureau shall be responsible for the administration of the New

York state local resource reuse and development program established

pursuant to sections 27-0403 and 27-0405 of this article.