N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 37-0201

§ 37-0201. Legislative findings and intent.\n The legislature finds and declares that:\n 1. The management of solid waste can pose a wide range of hazards to\npublic health and safety and to the environment; and\n 2. Packaging comprises a significant percentage of the overall solid\nwaste stream; and\n 3. The presence of heavy metals in packaging is a part of the total\nconcern in light of their likely presence in emissions or ash when\npackaging is incinerated, or in leachate when packaging is landfilled;\nand\n 4. Lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, on the basis of\navailable scientific and medical evidence, are of particular concern;\nand\n 5. It is desirable as a first step in reducing the toxicity of\npackaging waste to eliminate the addition of these heavy metals to\npackaging; and\n 6. The intent of this title is to achieve this reduction in toxicity\nwithout impeding or discouraging the expanded use of post-consumer\nmaterials in the production of packaging and its components.\n