MINEOLA, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Long Island environmental advocates are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase the state’s bottle return reward from five cents to 10 cents to increase recycling.
Advocates from 12 Long Island groups delivered a letter to Hochul’s Mineola office, urging her to modernize New York’s Returnable Container Act, as the state approaches the 40th anniversary of its passing.
Ryan Carson, from New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), was among those who signed the letter, saying the price for a returned bottle has been stuck at five cents since 1982.
“We've been sitting at about a 64% redemption return rate in New York State,” he said. “By moving the deposit up to 10 cents, we can get our recycling rates up.”
Carson added that Michigan, which recently modernized its own law, has a redemption recycling rate of about 89% thanks to the hike.
Meanwhile, Gary Smith, from Operation Splash, said the increase will also help to cut down on litter. He has been cleaning up Long Island beaches for the last five years.
“In the last five years, we’ve picked up a 159,000 plastic bottles and glass bottles,” he said. “It’s not stopping. The plastics are now the number one thing we pick up.”
He stressed that people need to stop littering, especially at the beaches, as it’s harmful to the environment and humans.
“All plastic degrades, gets in the fish, the environment, the birds and then, eventually, gets into our body,” Smith said.
To help reduce even more waste, Carson said they are pushing for the Returnable Container Act to be expanded to include more glass containers, such as liquor and wine bottles.
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