A04271 Summary:

SAME AS    No same as                                                          
                                                                               
SPONSOR    Englebright                                                         
                                                                               
COSPNSR    Cohen A, Lavelle, Cook, Weisenberg                                  
                                                                               
MLTSPNSR   Colton, Cymbrowitz, Diaz R, Dinowitz, Hoyt, Mayersohn, Stringer,    
           Weinstein                                                           
                                                                               
Add S27-0721, En Con L                                                         
Prohibits the sale or commercial use of styrofoam, commonly known as "packing  
peanuts" as a packaging material.                                              

A04271 Actions:

02/13/2003 referred to environmental conservation                              
01/07/2004 referred to environmental conservation                              

A04271 Votes:

A04271 Memo:

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the environmental conservation law,          
in relation to prohibiting the sale or use of styrofoam as a packaging         
material                                                                       
                                                                               
 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :  To prohibit the use and sale of            
styrofoam "packing peanuts" as packaging material, and to authorize            
the commissioner to adopt rules and regulations that are necessary and         
appropriate to carry out this legislation.                                     
 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :  A new section would be added to the         
environmental conservation law which would make illegal any use or             
sale of styrofoam as packaging material, and would give the                    
commissioner the authority to adopt whatever rules and regulations are         
needed to carry out the provisions of this legislation.                        
 JUSTIFICATION : Styrofoam "packing peanuts" are hazardous to the              
environment because they are not biodegradable. They are widely spread         
over large areas as litter since they are light and easily wind-blown.         
In addition, they have proven to be harmful to various forms of                
wildlife that ingest them when they encounter them in their                    
surroundings. Finally, these peanuts present another hazard when they          
are burned as garbage, because they emit harmful gases such as styrene         
oxide and particulates. With the assortment of other packaging                 
materials now available that are biodegradable, the continued use of           
styrofoam for this purpose poses a needless risk to the environment.           
 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :                                                   
01/25/95 referred to environmental conservation (A.1839)                       
01/03/96 referred to environmental conservation                                
03/03/97 referred to environmental conservation (A.5258)                       
01/07/98 referred to environmental conservation                                
02/01/99 referred to environmental conservation (A.3501)                       
01/05/00 referred to environmental conservation                                
02/22/01 referred to environmental conservation (A.5348)                       
01/09/02 referred to environmental conservation                                
 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None.                                                   
 EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect on the one hundred                
eightieth day after it shall have become a law.