The budget again proposes to expand the state’s bottle bill to non-carbonated beverages, and capture unclaimed deposits for the EPF. This estimated $110 million in new revenue from this proposal, if approved, who replace, rather than add to, current EPF revenue sources (primarily, a share of the state’s real property transfer tax.) The Business Council has opposed the so-called “bigger better bottle bill” for several reasons. It imposes new costs and burdens on bottlers, distributors and retailers. It has the effect of a regressive sales tax on groceries. And while purporting to provide financial support to municipal recycling efforts, this proposal will in fact take valuable post-consumer materials out of municipal recycling programs, and divert those materials to store-based recycling.

Touted as an environmental measure, this is in reality a hidden tax on New York State manufacturers, bottlers, distributors and ultimately consumers. This Bill’s added costs will eventually lead to higher prices.