March 13, 2008
Opinion
‘Bigger’ bottle bill is not necessarily a ‘better’ one
By Peter Vukelic
A recent editorial by The Buffalo News (“Bottle bill resurfaces,” March 4), spelled out our industry’s concerns with the so-called “Bigger, Better Bottle Bill,” but nonetheless called for its passage and imposition on businesses and consumers in New York.
The real question that needs to be addressed with this issue is simply, “How can we expand recycling rates in New York without increasing the cost and inconvenience to its already overburdened businesses and consumers?”
Before I answer this question, a little background is in order.
The governor’s proposal would expand recycling to all containers and redirect unclaimed deposit revenue that businesses use to pay for the cost of collection and handling to the state.
The result would be an immediate increase in the cost of beverages by 15 cents per container, plus the deposit, and greater inconvenience and costs to consumers and businesses through increased storage demands.
In a state that has fashioned a system of taxes, fees and regulations that is responsible for driving businesses and people away, does it make any sense to pour even more costs into this mixture?
I know that some will answer, “Yes, because it will help the environment.” The only problem is that it won’t. In fact, if a cost/benefit analysis were done on this bill, it would have been discarded almost immediately. That’s because the projected increase in recycling rates, after all of these increased costs, will be less than a paltry 1 percent.
Fortunately, a coalition called “Real Recycling Reform” has come up with an approach that is a smarter, simpler and more sensible (I guess we can term that S-3!) way to increasing recycling rates without creating a new beverage tax.
New York should immediately launch an expanded curbside recycling program. Curbside recycling is currently happening throughout New York State. It’s easy and people are used to participating. If all bottles and containers were recyclable, you would achieve the environmental improvement we all seek without imposing another layer of consumer taxes and business costs.
Secondly, New York should expand recycling opportunities to places where people are now carrying beverage containers — places like beaches, parks, picnic grounds, golf courses and athletic facilities. With any kind of public awareness program through the media and the schools, the people of New York would respond with even greater recycling participation.
We all know the state is facing a deficit of more than $4 billion. The easy and a traditional response to this type of fiscal problem is to increase taxes and fees. This approach doesn’t work anymore. It drives more people and their money out of the state, thus making the fiscal problem even worse.
If the real goal is to help the environment through greater recycling, I’ve just provided the way to do it without the negative impact of new taxes.
Peter Vukelic is vice president of governmental affairs for Try-It Distributing of Lancaster
http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/297963.html
