NJBIA has expressed opposition to a bill advanced by a Senate committee that would require producers and manufacturers of packaging products to implement stewardship plans aimed at reducing landfill waste. Ray Cantor, NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer, described the "Packaging Product Stewardship Act" as burdensome and impractical.
The Senate Environment and Energy Committee released the bill on Monday after previous postponements in December and January due to public testimony requesting amendments. Cantor stated, "While we have been working with the sponsor to make the bill something that is workable and that the business community can support, the bill remains far off from something we could support or even get to neutral on."
Cantor criticized the legislation for setting unrealistic packaging reductions and disregarding New Jersey's successful recycling systems developed over 40 years. He said, "In short, this bill would upend those successful local recycling programs, while failing to replace them with something that can actually work to enhance recycling."
The proposed legislation mandates certain manufacturers and distributors to adopt plans reducing packaging waste and pay an annual surcharge intended for improving the state's recycling system. It also excludes chemical conversion processes from its definition of recycling, potentially banning advanced plastics recycling.
Cantor noted, "The bill does not count advanced recycling toward recycling mandates and reductions in packaging." He argued that this eliminates incentives for using advanced recycling technologies.
Additionally, Cantor mentioned concerns about the state Department of Environmental Protection's capacity to manage or enforce any proposed stewardship plan.
Despite opposing S-3398, NJBIA supported another bill directing DEP to select a consultant for a statewide needs assessment on packaging product recycling. Sponsored by Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11), this separate bill was also released by the committee on Monday. Cantor commented, "Before you can change a complex system it only makes sense to study that system, understand its strengths and weaknesses, and determine what is needed to improve it." The bill establishes a "Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory Council" within DEP.
