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Sponsors
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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Limits medical waste treatment facilities construction, prohibits issuance of permits to facilities, provides for annual review of permits issued to previously-existing facilities
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor N. Nick Perry
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the establishment or conversion of medical waste treatment, storage, transfer or disposal facilities within one-half mile of any residential area, prohibiting the issuance of permits to such facilities, and providing for the annual review of permits issued to previously-existing medical waste treatment, storage, transfer or disposal facilities located within one mile of any residential area
Purpose or general idea of bill
To limit the health risks associated with medical waste transfer station by ensuring that they do not operate in close proximity to densely populated areas.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill amends the environmental conservation law by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows: 4a(i) no facility providing for the storage, transportation, treatment or disposal of regulated medical waste shall be constructed within any area within the state which is not zoned for use by such facility or in any area which is within one half mile of a residential zoned area located within the state. (ii) no existing facility located within the state shall be converted to a facility providing for the storage, transportation, treatment or disposal of regulated medical waste unless the facility is located in an area zoned for use by such facility and such area is not within one half mile of a residential area located within the state.
Justification
There are many facilities that process regulated medical waste throughout the State of New York. Although these facilities are needed to manage this extremely hazardous type of waste, it is our responsibility to ensure that they are not operating in areas that are in close proximity to residential homes which could pose a health risk to the citizens of this state. Research has found that medical waste transfer stations can cause health risk when located near residential areas. For example in New York City, in the Southern part of the Bronx, where such a facility exist, residents have suffered greatly from being in close proximity to this kind of facility. According to a study conducted by New York University's School of Medicine and Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, the waste stations in the South Bronx community are directly related to the overall poor health of that area's residents. Specifically the residents in that area suffer from a higher rate of lung and prostate cancer than any other community in the New York City area. In addition, the rate of asthma amongst the children in that area is five times higher than among children in other communities in New York City. The study makes a direct correlation between the many health issues faced by the residents of the community and the operation of the medical waste stations in that area. This legislation will ensure that citizens are not exposed to the siting of these potentially dangerous facilities in close proximity to their homes.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.