By the time most of you read this, Election Day will have passed, and we’ll know what kind of government will be in place for the next few years.

A reminder of the power of politics recently arrived in my emails. Two bills didn’t make the cut before the state Legislature adjourned and will have to be reintroduced or included by the governor, whomever that will be, in the state 2023-2024 budget. Both of these are important issues.
A bill to limit the use of Neonic pesticides was passed in the Assembly but not the Senate, so will have to be reintroduced. Neonics have been completely banned in Europe, due to their implication in honeybee colony collapse.

The Birds and Bees Protection Act will ban neonic-treated corn, soybean, and wheat seeds and non-agricultural, turf and ornamental use. The primary use in New York is as coatings on the seeds of soybeans and corn. But a report by Cornell University found that the cost of Neonics – harm to pollinators, birds, birth defects in deer, contamination of groundwater – far outweighed the benefits, and that safer alternatives exist.
The Better Bottle Bill is aimed at making the now 40-year-old bottle bill more in line with other states and increasing the recycling rates in the state. Enacted in 1983, the ‘Bottle Bill’ requires a nickel refundable deposit on eligible beverage containers to encourage their return for recycling, which reduces litter and waste.

Modernization of the 40-year-old Bottle Bill will further enhance litter control (most notably in underserved lower-income communities), stimulate recycling efforts, and encourage the use of refillable containers. States with Bottle Bills have a much higher recycling rate than states without.
The enhanced bill would expand the number of beverage containers covered by the Bottle Bill to include non-carbonated beverages, wine, and liquor. Other states, Maine, California, Oregon, and Connecticut, have already done this with success.
Increasing the amount of the deposit to a dime will still be behind inflation over the last 40 years but has been shown to immediately increase redemption rates.
While the original bill has been a success, as the DEC estimates it reduced roadside litter by almost 70%, with 5.5 billion containers recycled in 2020 alone, there are more good reasons to expand the Bill.
The enhanced bill is expected to increase rates of recycling across all demographics. The bill will also reduce municipalities’ waste burden and their solid waste disposal expenses. Removing bottles from the waste stream equals tons of debris not going to landfills.

Adding containers and a higher deposit and handling fee will create new jobs in the recycling industry and benefit redemption center workers.
The hundreds of organizations that have supported these efforts are expecting to make a major push to get them across the finish line during the next legislative session.
And given the time of year, I’d be remiss and not to mention that when you clean up your yard this fall, please Leave the Leaves.

Rake (don’t blow or shred) them under shrubs where they act as natural mulch, while offering protecting cover to overwintering beneficial insects. Blowing and shredding kills insects and larvae, not to mention adding noise and air pollution to the neighborhood.