Provides for the recovery, reuse and recycling of hardcover books

BILL NUMBER:S926

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to recovery, reuse and recycling of hardcover books

Purpose of the bill

The purpose of the bill is to facilitate the recovery, reuse, and recycling of hardcover books and avoid their disposal as solid waste.

Summary of provisions

The bill would ban the disposal of hardcover books as solid waste. The bill would require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to inventory existing solid waste programs that recover, reuse and recycle hardcover books and share this information with municipalities. DEC would be required to post this information on their website. Within two years of the effective date, municipalities would be required to establish programs to recover, redistribute, reuse or recycle hardcover books. Joint collection programs to accomplish this requirement would be allowed. Records of books collected and their disposition would be required. Recyclers of hardcover books would be required to submit information on hardcover books they receive from municipalities and the disposition of these books.

Justification

There are substantial quantities of hardcover books being deposited into landfills and incinerators, despite the availability of markets for their processing and recycling. Recycling and reprocessing of soft cover books has been occurring for years as mixed paper in residential and commercial recycling programs. Historically, hardcover books have faced obstacles to recycling principally due to their bindings and covers. However, it now appears that recycling of hardcover books is both economically and environmentally viable.

Because hardcover books are often collected with other paper, it is difficult to obtain accurate recycling information, Hardcover books are frequently collected at no cost by recyclers, and the source agencies seldom keep records on these quantities. In general, residential curbside collection programs process hardcover books as mixed paper; therefore it is difficult to quantify collection costs. Many libraries and schools maintain separate storage, but savings from reduced garbage collection and disposal offset these costs.

The Assembly Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management recently conducted a survey of the State's larger-cities and their counties. Responses were received from the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority, Broome County, City of Rochester, Erie County and Onondaga County, all of which have recycled hardcover books. All reported significant quantities of hardcover books recovered, including Onondaga County, which reported 660 tons-of-these-books-- recovered between 2004 and 2010. Individual counties identified some issues for hardcover book recycling, including lack of consistent reliable markets (Oneida-Herkimer), and adequate shipping containers (Onondaga

County). Only Onondaga County identified the cost of recovering and recycling hardcover books as a consideration.

The NYS Office of General Services (OGS) receives approximately 4 tons of hard and soft cover books monthly through their recycling program at the Empire State Plaza. According to OGS, all of their facilities statewide recycle paper, including hard cover books.

Small- and large-scale companies have begun collecting hardcover books. Both types of companies find that reliable sources of these books are the limiting factor to expanding the collection. These companies note that technological advances in shredding and processing at the paper mills are overcoming the problems of processing and recycling hardcover bindings and covers.

This legislation will facilitate the recycling of hardcover books and prevent their disposal as solid waste in New York.

Prior legislative history

New bill. 2013-14: Same As Assembly Bill No. 1653 (Maisel) 2011-12: Assembly Bill No. 9574 (Maisel)

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None.

Effective date

This act would take effect immediately.