Expanded Bottle Tax Will Raise Prices, Make Recycling Less Convenient and Do Very Little to Improve Recycling

ALBANY, NY (06/11/2008)(readMedia)-- The New York State Assembly’s passage today of the expanded bottle tax (A.8044-A) will raise beverage prices for all New Yorkers, make recycling less convenient and do very little to improve the environment.

The bill to include deposits on nearly all of the items in a store’s beverage aisle will come at a huge cost to consumers and severely damage New York State’s economy. Northbridge Environmental Consultants has determined that if bottle deposits are expanded to cover additional beverages such as children’s juice drinks, athletic drinks, bottled waters and iced tea, the average increase in price for each bottle and can sold in stores will be $0.15 (including the $.05 deposit).

As a result of the Assembly’s actions today, the cost, for example, of a case of 24 bottles of juice that now sells for $4.99 will cost $8.59 – a whopping 72% increase.

Debate on the floor of the Assembly focused on these very real consumer impacts and reflected the growing concern in that House that expansion of the bottle law will have a negative impact on businesses and consumers. Unfortunately, after nearly three hours of debate, the Assembly chose this outdated approach to recycling (although many legislators commented that they believe the bill to be flawed and looked forward to continued discussions).

“This is absolutely the wrong time to put a tax on our food and more and more Legislators are recognizing that. New Yorkers are hurting in these difficult economic times and this proposal will make things more difficult for them,” said James Rogers, president and CEO of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State. “This scheme is just about raising money, not improving the environment.”

“Expanding the deposit law is simply about taking money out of the pockets of New Yorkers,” said Rogers. “New Yorkers should hold those members of the Assembly who voted for this bill responsible for supporting an increase in their food taxes.”

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New Yorkers for Real Recycling Reform is a coalition of New York businesses, labor unions and retailers, who believe that New York should look to comprehensive solutions — Real Recycling Reform — and not an outdated, ineffective and costly idea like bottle law expansion.