N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 27-1001: Legislative findings

§ 27-1001. Legislative findings.

The legislature hereby finds that litter composed of discarded

beverage containers is a growing problem of state concern and a direct

threat to the health and safety of the citizens of this state. Discarded

beverage containers create a hazard to vehicular traffic, a source of

physical injury to pedestrians and farm animals, a hazard to farm and

other machinery and an unsightly accumulation of litter which must be

disposed of at increasing public expense. Beverage containers also

create an unnecessary addition to the state's and municipalities'

already overburdened solid waste and refuse disposal systems.

Unsegregated disposal of such containers creates an impediment to the

efficient operation of resource recovery plants. Further, the

legislature finds that the uninhibited discard of beverage containers

constitutes a waste of both mineral and energy resources. The

legislature hereby finds that requiring a deposit on all beverage

containers, along with certain other facilitating measures, will provide

a necessary incentive for the economically efficient and environmentally

benign collection and recycling of such containers.