S6419C

The New York State Senate passed legislation establishing an extended producer responsibility program for mattresses, requiring manufacturers to collect and recycle discarded mattresses at increasing rates over 15 years. The bill (S6419C, Calendar 1650) passed 41-21 on June 6, with Sen. Kavanagh as sponsor. The measure sets a 30% overall recycling rate target by Year 5, increasing to 50% by Year 10 and 75% by Year 15, with separate closed-loop targets requiring 10%, 20%, and 40% of collected materials to be remanufactured into new products at those same intervals. Sen. Walczyk led opposition, raising concerns that the closed-loop requirements could force retailers to stock mattresses labeled as "used" under existing General Business Law, and questioning why the bill doesn't adopt proven models from Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, and Oregon. Sen. Kavanagh defended the approach as modeled on New York's successful carpet recycling program and noted that the 30% target is minimal compared to California's 81% standard. The bill takes effect immediately, but manufacturers have one year to submit compliance plans to the Department of Environmental Conservation, with implementation beginning six months after plan approval. An advisory board including industry, environmental, and consumer representatives must be appointed by January 1, 2024.