Section 263. Waste reduction and recycling program

1. When used in this
  section, "solid waste" or "waste" shall have  the  same  meaning  as  is
  found  in  subdivision  one  of  section  27-0701  of  the environmental
  conservation law, but shall  not  include  source,  special  nuclear  or
  by-product  material  as  defined  in  the atomic energy act of 1954, as
  amended, or hazardous waste which appears on the list or  satisfies  the
  characteristics  of  hazardous  waste  promulgated  pursuant  to section
  27-0903 of the environmental conservation law, or low level  radioactive
  waste  as  defined  in section 29-0101 of the environmental conservation
  law.
    2. The department shall  serve  as  a  clearinghouse  for  information
  pertaining  to  the  reduction and recycling of solid waste generated by
  commercial and industrial enterprises, including the potential for  such
  enterprises  to  coordinate their activities with existing and potential
  local recycling programs, and on methods and strategies which commercial
  and industrial enterprises within the  state  can  undertake  to  reduce
  waste generation.
    3.   The  commissioner,  in  consultation  with  the  commissioner  of
  environmental conservation, is hereby authorized and directed to  confer
  and  cooperate with authorities of other states and of the United States
  with respect to  the  development  of  regional  markets  for  secondary
  materials  and  the  reduction of waste from residential, commercial and
  industrial activities.
    4. The department shall provide to the governor, the legislature,  and
  local  governments  on  or before January first, nineteen hundred ninety
  and annually thereafter, a report assessing the status of commercial and
  industrial waste reduction and the development of markets for  secondary
  materials, and all other aspects of solid waste management for which the
  department   is  responsible.  Such  report  shall  include  evaluations
  prepared  in  consultation  with   the   department   of   environmental
  conservation   and  the  environmental  facilities  corporation  of  the
  expected levels of waste reduction from present and  future  utilization
  of  such  practices,  the anticipated effectiveness of such practices in
  meeting waste reduction goals, and associated  savings  due  to  avoided
  handling  and  disposal  costs  and  program  implementation costs. This
  report may be consolidated  with  the  report  required  by  subdivision
  fourteen of section two hundred sixty-one of this article.