§ 27-0717 — Bureau of waste reduction and recycling

§ 27-0717. Bureau of waste reduction and recycling.\n 1. The commissioner, with the approval of the director of the division\nof the budget, shall establish within the department a bureau of waste\nreduction and recycling. Such bureau shall be a separate entity to\nassist in the development and promotion of local waste reduction, source\nseparation and recycling programs. Such programs shall promote the\nsource separation, collection, intermediate processing and marketing of\nwaste materials that are now being disposed of as municipal solid waste\nin New York state. The bureau shall:\n (a) promote the development and implementation of programs by\nmunicipalities;\n (b) serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding existing source\nseparation and recycling programs;\n (c) identify special needs and problems in developing and implementing\nsource separation and recycling programs, and recommend approaches and\nsolutions to address such identified needs and problems; and\n (d) coordinate its activities with other solid waste assistance\nprograms of the department.\n 2. Pursuant to regulations promulgated in accordance with the state\nadministrative procedure act, the bureau shall establish an official\nstate recycling emblem and conduct a consumer awareness program with\nrespect thereto. Such emblem shall be of a design to include terms or\nsymbols for "New York State", and "recyclable" and/or "recycled" and/or\n"reuseable". Standards for such terms or symbols shall be developed\npursuant to regulations which with respect to (a) "recyclable" shall\naddress material for which technologies or systems for reuse as a\nsecondary material exist; and (b) "recycled" shall address material\ncontaining a specified minimum percentage by weight of secondary\nmaterials content; and (c) "reusable" shall address ability to be\nrepeatedly returned for refilling or reuse with the original product.\nFurther, such regulations may stipulate prohibitions on the unauthorized\nuse of the state recycling emblem.\n 3. The bureau shall implement and conduct a program of public\neducation and information to inform the public and private sectors of\nthe state as to the merits of the use of secondary materials and for\nconsumers to actively seek consumer products which contain secondary\nmaterials or which are easily recycled or reused. Such program shall\ncommunicate the importance of minimizing the need for new solid waste\ndisposal capacity and of conserving natural resources, avoiding harm to\nthe environment or public health, and promoting resource conservation,\nrecovery and reuse by industry, the state of New York, public and\nquasi-public agencies and authorities, local governments and the general\npublic of the state.\n 4. The bureau shall be responsible for the administration of the New\nYork state local resource reuse and development program established\npursuant to sections 27-0403 and 27-0405 of this article.\n