Relates to establishing extended producer responsibility for tires; provides that no later than June 30, 2027 a producer shall submit a plan for the establishment of a collection program for tires; establishes the tire extended producer responsibility fund.
This bill establishes an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for tires in New York. It creates a new title in the Environmental Conservation Law requiring tire producers, either individually or through a representative organization, to submit a collection and recycling plan to the Department of Environmental Conservation by June 30, 2027. The plan must provide for free, convenient statewide collection of discarded tires, public education, reporting, and performance targets, including escalating recycling and closed-loop recycling rates over time. The bill also creates a Tire Stewardship Advisory Board to advise the department on producer plans and program implementation.
The bill also imposes a phased disposal ban on covered tires and tire waste, beginning with restrictions on disposal by businesses and facilities and later extending to consumers and households, with limited exceptions and department-set thresholds. Producers must not sell tires in New York unless they are participating in an approved program, and retailers may only sell tires from compliant producers. The bill further requires minimum post-consumer recycled content in tires sold in the state, authorizes civil penalties for violations, and directs the department to adopt implementing regulations and issue periodic reports to the governor and legislature.
The bill would significantly amend the Environmental Conservation Law by adding a new tire EPR framework and by revising existing tire-related provisions, including the state’s tire service and waste tire fee statutes. It also amends the State Finance Law to create a dedicated Tire Extended Producer Responsibility Fund to receive penalty revenues and support program administration and direct costs. In practical terms, the bill shifts responsibility for tire collection, recycling, and end-of-life management from consumers and public waste systems toward tire producers, retailers, and producer-run stewardship organizations, while also affecting tire sellers, waste facilities, recyclers, and local governments that may host collection sites or participate in the program.
The bill text and available context do not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no documented formal debate to summarize. Based on the structure of the proposal, the bill appears oriented toward environmental stewardship, waste reduction, and recycling system expansion, with a regulatory approach that places clear obligations on producers and retailers. The inclusion of an advisory board with representatives from producers, retailers, recyclers, collectors, environmental groups, waste disposal interests, consumers, and stewardship organizations suggests an effort to balance stakeholder interests.
The main points of potential contention are likely the cost and compliance burdens placed on tire producers and retailers, the enforceability of disposal bans, and the feasibility of meeting the bill’s recycling and post-consumer content targets. Producers are made responsible for all program costs and face penalties for failing to meet performance goals, which may draw opposition from industry stakeholders. Retailers are also restricted from selling tires unless the producer is in compliance, which could raise implementation concerns. On the other hand, environmental and recycling advocates are likely to support the bill’s stronger diversion requirements, closed-loop recycling goals, and mandatory recycled-content standards.