Board Passes New Hazardous Household Waste Notification Law, The First In New York State To Specify Implementation

"It's a sign of the times and it's the right sign."

That's the way County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz (D, Somers) characterized postings that will soon appear in various retail establishments across Westchester, the result of unanimous action last night by the County's Board of Legislators.

The Board passed a new Hazardous Waste Point of Sale Notification Law - the first in New York State to specify implementation -- recommended by its Committee on the Environment that Kaplowitz chairs. An early notification law, passed in 1993, lacked unambiguous implementation provisions.

"This law covers implementation, education, and enforcement," Kaplowitz said. "These are three strong legs of a stool sturdy enough to support our ongoing efforts to better Westchester's environment."

The law was signed today by County Executive Andy Spano in ceremonies attended by, among others, representatives from leading environmental organizations.

"I want to commend Legislator Mike Kaplowitz and his Committee for recommending a law on the consumer aspects of hazardous household chemicals which provides for real implementation and enforcement which was lacking in earlier legislation," Spano said.

The new law requires that stores selling hazardous household products post a sign reading, in part, "Products labeled Caution, Danger, Warning, Corrosive, Poison or Flammable may contain toxic or hazardous ingredients." The sign further notes that the improper disposal of these products could cause environmental contamination.

It informs consumers that a list of these products, which includes paint, detergents, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and antifreeze is available from the store management and lists a phone number - 637-3037 - to call for proper disposal information.

Kaplowitz said that Westchester's Health Department is undertaking an extensive effort to distribute the information to merchants Countywide. "A letter has already gone out to storeowners with guidelines for placing the signs at cash registers and other locations and explaining some of the basics of the law," he added.

Beyond the postings, the new law charges the County Sealer of Weights and Measures with enforcing the law and sets forth penalties for violators.

"The work on this important law was started years ago by some very fine, environmentally-sensitive legislators including our current Board Chairman George Latimer and our Majority Leader Tom Abinanti," Kaplowitz said. "I'm honored that, in my first term on the Board, I was able to be a part of this historic legislation."

Kaplowitz said that the notification law was "one of my top environmental priorities."