The Peru Gazette

Impractical legislation would lead to massive increase in costs on consumers, small businesses 

May 27, 2025 – Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) today spoke out about the impact the Packaging Reduction and Infrastructure Act would have on small businesses and consumers in New York State. Formerly known as the Extended Producer Reduction (EPR) legislation, Senate bill S.1464 would impose costly new, unrealistic mandates and additional burdensome bureaucracy by forcing businesses to register with a packaging reduction organization and setting an unfeasible timeline for the elimination of certain materials for packaging purposes.

In his remarks at the press conference, which can be seen here, Stec blasted Democrats for touting an affordability agenda, while advancing a bill that would hit New Yorkers with $1.3 billion in cost increases – an increase in annual grocery bills of $732 for a family of four.

“In this year’s budget the governor and Democrat leaders loudly touted ‘inflation rebate checks’ for families. The per-family cost of their unrealistic EPR legislation is double that. The EPR legislation contains illogical packaging and recycling mandates and unrealistic deadlines for implementation that don’t meet the realities of what businesses are capable of or what families can afford. Instead of increasing recycling rates and reducing unnecessary packaging, this bill only increases costs and reduces options for consumer and businesses,” said Stec.