Oped: Innovative recycling solutions support sustainability and Black-owned businesses

Phil Andrews is president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce. Black-owned businesses are deeply rooted in their neighborhoods and motivated to champion sustainable practices, from reducing waste in their operations to participating in local recycling initiatives. While Albany’s latest push for Extended Producer Responsibility legislation brings important environmental goals into focus, we need to think carefully about how this policy could affect Black-owned businesses, limit their ability to grow, and reinvest in their communities. Lawmakers need to strike a balance that minimizes the economic impact, embraces innovation, and promotes environmental justice. EPR aims to reduce waste by shifting the responsibility of packaging disposal from consumers and municipalities to the manufacturers themselves. This means producers would be accountable for the management of their products’ packaging, paying fees based on the type and amount of materials they use. While this sounds fair in theory, we have to consider how the resulting costs will trickle down through the supply chain, ultimately impacting small businesses and everyday New Yorkers. Under EPR, manufacturers would face increased operational costs as they redesign packaging, source more recyclable materials, and pay into recycling programs to comply with the new requirements. These additional expenses don’t stop...