State lawmakers push for legislation to reduce copper, catalytic converter theft

Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - Due to an alarming rise in copper and catalytic converter theft in New York, state lawmakers are pushing for legislation out of Albany to help combat the issue.

State Sen. Sean Ryan was joined Friday by State Assemblymember Monica Wallace and local law enforcement and regional scrap metal recycling facility leaders at Niagara Metals in Cheektowaga to push for legislation that is aimed toward stabilizing the metal recycling market.

"Theft of copper, particularly in the form of catalytic converters, is at an all time high. It takes a thief just minutes to steal a component that could cost the victim thousands to replace," said Sen. Ryan on Friday. "With this new legislation, we hope to greatly discourage such thefts and catch those responsible for these incidents."

The bill would require catalytic converters to be marked with a serial number for quick identification. It would also establish stricter standards for scrap metal recycling facilities in New York State, and create penalties for those who fail to comply with the regulations.

This legislation is supported by law enforcement officials and ReMa, the Recycled Materials Association.

"In the face of a nationwide wave of catalytic converter theft, it's imperative that we enact control measures to stop the illegal resale of these devices and bring offenders to justice," said Assemblywoman Wallace. "I support Sen. Ryan's legislation to set statewide standards for scrap metal recycling facilities to record information about resellers in order to deter theft and help law enforcement hold offenders accountable."

The price of copper reached an al- time high in 2024. The U.S. Department of Energy reports $1 billion in annual losses due to copper theft. And catalytic converter theft has seen a disastrous rise of 900% since 2019.