Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 11/10/2022 04:00 PM EST
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter

1,4-Dioxane Law

1,4-Dioxane Law Update

Effective December 31, 2022, personal care and household cleansing products containing 1,4-dioxane in concentrations greater than two parts per million (ppm) cannot be sold or offered for sale in New York State. In addition, cosmetic products containing 1,4-dioxane in concentrations greater than ten ppm cannot be sold or offered for sale in New York State.

Waiver Requests
The law allows a manufacturer to apply for a one-year waiver from compliance, up to two times. The DEC Program Policy DMM-21-02 (PDF) sets forth the process for manufacturers to submit a waiver request and clarifies the proof the Department will require to grant a waiver. The Department will respond to applications in a timely manner and will take no longer than six months to approve or deny an application. Additionally, please note that waivers granted on or before December 31, 2022, are effective starting December 31, 2022, until December 30, 2023.

Regulations
Regulations to implement the law are forthcoming. The Department is in the process of developing regulations to implement the law limiting 1,4-dioxane in household cleansing, personal care, and cosmetic products and will keep interested stakeholders informed as the rulemaking progresses.

For more information about the 1,4-Dioxane Limits for Household Cleansing, Personal Care, and Cosmetic Products. Submit any questions to 1-4D.HCPCCproducts@dec.ny.gov

PFAS in Food Packaging Law Goes into Effect December 31, 2022

Starting December 31, 2022, the sale and distribution of food packaging with intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will be prohibited in New York State. More details on the law are provided on our webpage, including new guidance on the types of packaging covered by the law and compliance certifications.

Guidance on packaging types subject to the PFAS in food packaging law and on when to obtain a certification of compliance (PDF).

Learn more about PFAs in Food Packaging.

Know Before You Throw

Celebrate New York Recycles Day on November 15th

New York Recycles Day complements America Recycles Day, a national initiative to raise awareness of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of recycling, while recognizing New York State’s leadership in promoting recycling and reducing waste.

Across the state, individuals, community groups, businesses, schools, and government agencies celebrate New York Recycles Day in a variety of ways, from encouraging others to reduce their waste by pledging to improve recycling programs, hosting a reuse exchange, and improving awareness of local recycling requirements.

America Recycles Day educates and encourages individuals on how to be more mindful of what they consume, where and how to properly recycle, and to pledge to recycle more and recycle right in their everyday lives. Focusing on individual action, the day highlights the actions New York State residents can take to collectively recycle right and inspire communities and individuals to recognize the benefits of recycling. The #BeRecycled pledge is a promise to actively choose to support recycling by:

  1. Recycling at home, work, school, and on the go;
  2. Buying products made with recycled content; and
  3. Educating and encouraging friends, family, and neighbors to take the #BeRecycled pledge

People can be part of the recycling solution by participating or hosting their own America Recycles Day event. Events can be scheduled at any time during the fall leading into the official America Recycles Day celebration.

For information and resources about how to recycle right and the Recycle Right NY campaign.

Upcoming Webinar November 17: Managing Food Waste – Overview of Free Technical Assistance Programs

Join DEC for a webinar on November 17 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. to hear an update on the implementation of the New York State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling (effective January 1, 2022) and about two free technical assistance programs available to businesses, institutions, organics recyclers, and others. The free programs are available from Feeding NYS and the Center for EcoTechnology (CET). Register for the webinar.

DEC will be joined by Feeding NYS who will discuss their donation technical assistance program and CET who will talk about DEC’s newest technical assistance initiative, Rethink Food Waste NY.

For more information about Feeding NYS technical assistance program.

For more information about Rethink Food Waste NY technical assistance program.

Public Events

Conferences, Workshops & Webinars

Funding/RFP Opportunities - Application Deadlines

We Want To Hear From You!

Is there a topic you'd like to learn more about or a public event or workshop related to recycling (organics, textiles, traditional recyclables, etc.) you'd like the greater community to know more about? E-mail us at organicrecycling@dec.ny.gov and it could be featured in an upcoming Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter.