New York Lobby Day -- People over Plastic

Lobby Day in Albany has come and gone with the objective to advocate for the passage of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Act S. 1464, A 1749 (PRRIA). This is a priority not just for the GCA Zone III Conservation Committee but most importantly for New Yorkers and the generations that will follow.

Melinda Beuf and Laura Sells-Doyle travelled to Albany and joined other New York Zone III Garden Clubs to campaign for this important bill. Above, Judith Enck of BeyondPlastics.org is flanked at a news conference between New York Senator Pete Harckham and Assemplymember Deborah Glick who sponsored the bill. It has passed the NY Senate in two previous sessions but faces strong opposition from industry lobbyists. Melinda and Laura met with Assembly member Michael Cashman, Assembly member Matthew Simpson and NY State Senator Daniel Stec.

As mentioned previously, waste management’s skyrocketing costs, recycling “myths", the rise of microplastics in every organ of our body, and the toxicity of forever plastics are among the key factors driving momentum behind PRRIA. A key factor of PRRIA is the elimination of 17 of the worst toxic chemicals and materials used in packaging. An example can be found in a can of tomatoes that use an epoxy to line the can helping to prevent metal corrosion but tomatoes because of their high acidity causes the epoxy to breakdown into the food. The epoxy is primarily Bisphenol A (PBA), a known endocrine disruptor that has been proven to lead not only to harmful reproductive issues for both male and females but cancer. How can we serve those tomatoes to children? Bisphenol A (PBA) is one of the 17 chemicals slated for elimination in this bill. The chemicals to be replaced are extremely hazardous, carcinogenic, and or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. It is important as well to remember this bill is for single use plastics only. Phasing out these toxic chemicals will happen over a period of years and exemptions are in place for small business, medical products, dairy co-ops and others.