Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing issue around the world.
Use cell phones as an example. There are more than a billion cell phones in existence today. The photo at right represents a fraction of the 342,465 cell phones that are discarded in the United States... not every year, every month, or even every week. Americans discard more than 340,000 cell phones every day! That amounts to nearly 8,000 tons of waste disposed of in California every year.... just from cell phones! (source, U.S. EPA)
California has a government-managed program established by SB 20 (2003, Sher) that set up an advanced recycling fee, managed by government, for covered electronics, which includes computer monitors and TVs. However, there exists many electronics uncovered by SB 20 that are banned from the trash as universal waste. CPSC is exploring how SB 20 can transition to an EPR program.
A full producer responsibility approach would require brand owners to create a plan for how their spent products will be collected and recycled responsibly and at no cost to local government as a precondition for the right to sell products in a jurisdiction (like California). This is the approach taken in the Washington State e-waste law and 23 other states, and in British Columbia (see below). Brand owners typically set up nonprofit Producer Responsibility (or Third Party) Organizations to do the actual take back. Experience shows that costs are minimized if multiple PROs are permitted and competition is encouraged. Legislation to phase out or ban toxic chemicals -- like the RoHS legislation in EU -- is complementary to take back legislation. |
Policy & Legislation
Recycle your e-waste. Be part of the solution!