Harckham and Glick’s Packaging Reduction Bill Receives Overwhelming Support in Siena Poll

Albany, NY – A new poll just released by the Siena College Research Institute finds that nearly three-quarters—73%—of the respondents favor requiring all companies with an annual net income of over $1 million to reduce packaging on their products, a key component of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA) sponsored by New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, chairs of the Environmental Conservation Committee in their respective legislative houses.

The Siena poll was conducted between Mar. 17 – 24 among 618 New York State residents and included questions on several environmental issues. Regarding PRRIA, the poll found no demographic gender, age or regional group issuing under 70% of support for the bill; similarly, no gender, age or regional demographic was more than 19% in opposition to the bill.

“We knew that a majority of New Yorkers support legislation to fight our packaging waste crisis, but this new poll confirms and quantifies just how broad and sizable that support is,” said Harckham. “Residents are deeply troubled by the growing amount of waste that is created daily, the gargantuan costs related to the removal of this waste, and the many toxins and carcinogens that are both present and prevalent in plastic waste. It’s time for us to leverage this overarching concern into real action.”

“New Yorkers know that we need packaging reduction, and the latest Siena poll shows how strongly they support it,” said Glick. “The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will establish necessary packaging reduction mandates, toxic material bans, and ensure a shift to sustainable packaging that we need to stop polluting our environment and our bodies with microplastics and the toxic chemicals in plastic. Additionally, this legislation will also finally start to address New York’s solid waste crisis. This bill is necessary to New Yorkers’ health and wellness and needs to pass this year."

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.1464 / A.1749), which has advanced so far in both the Senate and Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, aims to significantly reduce packaging waste by requiring companies to reduce overall packaging use, improve recyclability, fund recycling infrastructure, support municipal recycling programs, and eliminate toxins in packaging materials.