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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to requiring the use of chlorine-free recycled paper
Purpose or general idea of bill
To promote more efficient use of natural resources, waste reduction, recycling and the use of non-chlorine bleached paper products which would stimulate industries to switch to safer technologies.
Summary of specific provisions
Each state agency shall within nine months of the effective date make specific changes in the procurement specifications and practices to eliminate any practices which exclude the use of recycled paper and paper products and to eliminate standards which present barriers to the purchase of paper and paper products which are made in processes that minimize the emissions of dioxin. The bill would further require state government to use recycled, non-chlorine bleached paper products. All state purchases of paper products must contain at least 20% post-consumer material by the end of 1995 and 30% by 1998. Additionally, the state must, by January 1996, purchase unbleached and non-secondarily chlorine bleached recycled paper products when such products are available. However, a decision by an agency not to satisfy the requirements shall be made on a written determination by the head of the agency that it is not practicable to do so which shall be submitted to a state environmental executive within DEC. All suppliers submitting bids to a state agency to provide recycled paper and paper products shall maintain records documenting the source and amount of fiber content of the post-consumer material. The use of recycled paper can encourage private sector development of new markets and technologies, thereby creating business and employment opportunities and enhancing state and local economies. The use of chlorine and chlorine compounds as bleaching agents in the pulp and paper industry is the second largest use of chlorine in the U.S. and results in the release of an estimated 1,000 organochlorines. The EPA identifies chlorine-based bleaching by the paper industry as the largest source of dioxin discharged to waterways. These chemicals including dioxin, furan and chloroform are linked to serious health risks including cancer, birth defects, endocrine dysfunction, developmental impairment and immunosuppression. Recent studies have found that environmental chemical contamination with organochlorine residues may be an important etiologic factor in breast cancer. These effects have been clearly and dramatically identified in birds, fish and mammals. Because these chemicals bioaccumulate, minute quantities of dioxins build up exponentially as they move up the food chain reaching their greatest levels in the tissues of species high on the food chain, including humans. population trends suggest that infertility due to low sperm counts, endometriosis, breast cancer and chronic immune system diseases are increasing. These findings are even more troubling because they affect those most vulnerable-our children. Children who may become exposed to these dangerous chemicals through the placenta and breast milk at critical stages of development can be irreversibly affected. The American Public Health Association and the International Joint Commission on the Great Lakes recommended that the u.s. and Canada sunset the use of chlorine and chlorine compounds due to their environmental persistence and toxic health effects. Alternatives to chlorine include oxygen and hydrogen peroxide pre-bleaching and oxygen based bleaching including oxygen, ozone and hydrogen peroxide. Along with being non-toxic, oxygen-based processes save energy, water resources and money. Non-chlorine bleached recycled paper products are widely used in Europe. However, there is a firm in New York State that uses a chlorine-free process. Thus, this bill would keep New York competitive in the world paper market and protect
Read the full memo (635 words)
our environment as well. It could help create a market for non-chlorine bleached recycled paper products in New York.
Fiscal implications for state & local governments
The bill could result in savings as a result of waste reduction and recycling.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.