Bill > S08010

This bill aims to expand New York's bottle deposit system to include spirit-based ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, which are premixed alcoholic beverages containing distilled spirits at or below 6% alcohol by volume. Currently, only malt-based RTD beverages are included in the state's returnable container act, leaving spirit-based cocktails exempt from the recycling incentive program. The legislative findings highlight that approximately 100 million spirit-based RTD containers are sold annually in New York, with many improperly discarded in parks, streets, waterways, and landfills. By adding spirit-based RTD cocktails to the definition of "beverage" in the environmental conservation law and creating a new definition in the alcoholic beverage control law, the bill seeks to reduce litter, support recycling efforts, and create a more consistent regulatory approach for single-serve beverage containers. The bill will take effect 180 days after becoming law, allowing time for regulatory agencies to prepare for implementation.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8010