Hundreds Rally at Capitol for Packaging Reduction (Part 1)

On Monday May 11, several hundred people attended Beyond Plastic’s lobby day and rally. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act – known as PRRIA – would require producers of single use packaging to reduce the amount by 30% over 12 years and ban 13 toxic chemicals from packaging. The bill has twice passed the Senate but the Assembly Speaker has refused to let it come up for a vote despite having a majority of members as co-sponsors. The sponsors recently did an additional 38 amendments to the bill to help with its passage. In part one of our coverage, we hear from Senator Rachel May; Kurt Kruperman of Capital District Zero Waste; Yvonne Taylor of Seneca Lake Guardian; singer Taina Asili; Assemblymember Chris Eachus; and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.