REPORT: Follow the Money: The David vs. Goliath Battle to Pass the New York Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (A1749, S1464)
Reducing plastic waste in New York has turned into a David vs. Goliath fight in Albany.
On one side: communities, environmental advocates, local governments, and public health organizations fighting to reduce toxic plastic packaging, save taxpayer dollars, and hold corporations accountable.
On the other: some of the world’s biggest corporations — Amazon, ExxonMobil, McDonald’s, Shell, Coca-Cola, and their allies — pouring millions into lobbying campaigns to protect the status quo of more waste, more pollution, and more taxpayer costs.
BOOK: The Problem with Plastics: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late
“The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late” critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts. Coming soon from The New Press in December 2025.
REPORT: Projected Economic Benefits of the New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act
The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (AB 1749/SB 1464) would not only help solve New York State’s growing solid waste crisis by reducing packaging waste by 30% over 12 years, protect public health by banning the use of 17 toxic chemicals in packaging, and improve recycling rates across the state, but also save New Yorkers a significant amount of money—an estimated $1.3 billion over the next 10 years.