Directs the department of environmental conservation to establish a composting symbol

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jose Serrano

Directs New York DEC to create and implement a statewide composting symbol that marks compostable materials, with future rulemaking to define design, scope, and enforcement.

COMMITTED TO RULES

What the bill would do

Directs the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to establish a formal composting symbol.

The symbol would be created and implemented by the DEC, presumably to indicate that materials are suitable for composting (subject to future rules and specifications to be developed by the department).

Key provisions and changes

Establishment of a DEC-approved composting symbol: The bill assigns DEC the duty to create and implement a standardized symbol related to compostability.

Regulation and implementation: While the summary notes the DEC must establish the symbol, the bill text would determine the scope of regulatory action (e.g., design, usage, placement, and enforcement) through subsequent rulemaking. Specific design or eligibility criteria are not provided in the summary.

Scope and applicability (not explicitly detailed in the summary): The bill implies usage related to compostable materials, but precise applicability to products, packaging, or systems (household vs. industrial composting) would be defined through DEC rules.

Who would be affected

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC): Responsible for developing and issuing the composting symbol and related regulations.

Manufacturers, shippers, and retailers: Potentially affected if the symbol is used on packaging or labeling to designate compostable materials.

Local governments and waste-management entities: May reference or align with the symbol in municipal recycling/composting programs.

Consumers and the public: Could benefit from clearer labeling to help identify compostable products and improve disposal choices.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: February 21, 2025

Legislative actions and progression:

February 21, 2025: Referred to Senate Environmental Conservation
May 28, 2025: 1st House Calendar (Cal. 1377)
May 29, 2025: 2nd House Calendar (Cal. 1377)
June 4, 2025: Advanced to Third Reading
June 13, 2025: Committed to Rules (listed twice in the actions)

Sponsor: Senator José M. Serrano (primary)

Related bill: S 9585 (prior session), indicating a similar or companion measure from a previous year

Potential impact and considerations

Standardization: The symbol could create a uniform signal for compostability, potentially aiding consumer understanding and diverting more materials to composting streams.

Labeling and compliance: Expect rules governing who must use the symbol, under what circumstances, and how compliance is monitored/enforced.

Implementation timeline: The bill sets up the mandate for rulemaking but does not specify a concrete effective date; such timing would depend on DEC rulemaking and legislative approval.

If enacted, the bill would initiate a regulatory process to establish and implement a statewide composting symbol, with details to be defined through DEC rulemaking.

Bill