The 2023 New York State Solid Waste Management Plan set an aggressive target of recycling 85 percent of the state’s municipal solid waste (MSW) stream by 2050 through a host of programs and policies that move the state towards a circular economy. The needs assessment focuses on packaging and paper products, which make up 44% of the state’s MSW stream. This phase of the project documents the existing programs and infrastructure dedicated to recycling packaging and paper products, and their performance. In the next phase, the project will determine what gaps need to be filled to build a packaging and paper recycling system that contributes to achieving the state goal.