Today, Assemblyman William Colton (47th Assembly District, Brooklyn) announced that he has introduced legislation to create a "New York Recycles" license plate. The bill requires the $25 dollar annual fee from each license plate sale and renewal to be credited to the Environmental Protection Fund’s Solid Waste Account to fund municipal waste reduction or recycling activities.

The legislation will change the plate from an "organizational" plate to an "issues" plate and also raise the visibility of the license plate on the Department of Motor Vehicles custom license plates website. The bill is sponsored by in the Senate by Carl L. Marcellino (5th Senate District, Oyster Bay).

Assemblyman William Colton stated, "Recycling has become an integral part of managing solid and hazardous wastes in New York State. This license plate offers New Yorkers the opportunity to demonstrate their personal commitment to the concepts of reduction, reuse and recycling. In addition, purchase of the license plate would increase funding for municipal recycling programs through the deposit of the annual purchase fee into the Environmental Protection Fund."

Assemblyman Colton is the Chairman of the NYS Assembly Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management. He noted: "The ’New York Recycles’ plate is currently available through the DMV at http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/cplates.htm in the Custom Plate "Organization" license plate section. When my bill passes, people will find the plate in the "Causes" section under ‘New York Recycles’."

According to Sharon Fisher, President of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3), "This is the first recycling license plate issued in the United States. Other states including the State of Washington are looking to emulate it." The license plate features a logo of the green chasing arrows recycling symbol overlaid on a silhouette of New York State. Along the bottom of the plate it reads "Reduce Reuse Recycle" and in the lower left hand corner, below the logo it reads "New York Recycles"

"Recycling promotes sustainability and is good public policy. Every community in New York is legally required to have recycling programs in place. There is strong public support for recycling and I support efforts, such as this one, which educate the public about the many benefits of recycling," said New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Eliot Spitzer was instrumental in working with communities that had stopped recycling to reintroduce their recycling programs – as state law requires. In each instance, the programs have been made more effective and have been met with public support.

The plate was developed by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in partnership with the New York State Association for Reduction Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3). The New York State Association for Reduction Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3) is a statewide Association that was formed in 1988. It is dedicated to promoting recycling and providing educational and networking opportunities to public and private recycling professionals throughout New York State. It also supports citizens, advocates and not-for profit organizations dedicated to waste prevention, material reuse and recycling.