New laws for local waste management plans to strengthen efforts for recycling and composting, as well as curtailing single-use plastic items at public colleges and universities in New York, was signed into law on Tuesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Taken together, the measures are meant to bolster recycling and composting programs on the local level while moving away from plastic items at the State University of New York and the City University of New York campuses.
“With the fate of the planet at stake, New York must continue to lead the way in the global fight against the climate crisis,” Hochul said. “This package of legislation will make sure New Yorkers are recycling, composting and phasing out wasteful plastic products, putting our state on the path to a cleaner, greener future.”
One bill would require waste management plans to include methods meant to increase methods like recycling and composting. Lawmakers who backed the bill, Sen. Rachel May and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, said the measure could help keep waste out of landfills and fight climate change at the same time.