Key findings based on our estimates include: ● New York state would benefit from net savings of $1.3 billion during the first decade after PRRIA is enacted. ○ This figure includes $694 million in savings for private haulers and $568 million in savings for the public sector — i.e., the cities and towns (and ultimately taxpayers) that manage waste collection services directly or through contracts. ○ Notably, New York City alone stands to save $818 million over the next 10 years. ● The state would benefit from the following annual net savings (i.e., avoided waste collection and disposal costs) if PRRIA is adopted in 2025: ○ $109 million in 2030, when the first recycling requirements go into effect ○ $287 million 2036, when the 20% waste reduction requirement goes into effect ○ $445 million 2040, when the 30% waste reduction requirement goes into effect ○ $830 million in 2052, when the 75% recycling rate requirement goes into effect ○ About 30% of these annual net savings will accrue to New York City, and about 70% will accrue to the rest of the state. ● Packaging waste is projected to make up nearly a quarter of the municipal solid waste in New York state in 2025. ○ Almost 3.8 million tons of packaging waste will be generated in New York state in 2025 alone — a weight roughly equivalent to 10 Empire State Buildings. ■ About 30% of this packaging waste is plastic (or about 1.1 million tons), while 70% is metal, paper, or glass. ● Of the 1.5 million tons of PRRIA-covered packaging that New York City residents and businesses generate each year, this analysis estimates that 1.2 million tons are incinerated or landfilled. ○ All but one of New York state’s incinerators are located in environmental justice communities. ● More waste recycled, less waste landfilled and incinerated via PRRIA: ○ When PRRIA’s required reuse and recycling rates are achieved, our report estimates that the proportion of packaging recycled (i.e., the recycling rate) will rise from the current 18% to 28% in 2035 and 44% in 2040. ○ When PRRIA is adopted, about half a million tons more recyclables will be sent to materials recovery facilities to be recycled in 2040 than in 2025, and almost 2 million tons less trash will be sent to landfills and incinerators. To estimate these savings, this report compared current collection and disposal costs to a future where the bill’s required waste reduction, reuse, and recycling targets are achieved. By comparing projected costs under a business-as-usual scenario (no PRRIA) with projected costs under PRRIA, we find that the additional costs of recycling more waste would be outweighed by the savings from landfilling and incinerating less waste. This report only considers direct collection and disposal costs under PRRIA versus a business-as- usual scenario; it does not include the major new revenue source from packaging fees that will be given to local governments and private waste haulers to cover their collection and disposal costs, because the fee structure has not yet been established.4 When the new packaging fee revenue is considered, the economic benefits of this new policy will be significantly greater. Environmental and public health benefits, while undoubtedly significant, are also outside the scope of this report.