Computer Recycling Laws
Currently there is no federal law prohibiting households and most small businesses from discarding their obsolete computers in landfills. But with tens of millions of computers being disposed of annually, state and local laws are growing rapidly to ensure that the old computer you might be tempted to toss with the trash is retrieved and recycled. Growing numbers of states are establishing producer-financed systems for the collection, recycling and reuse of old computers and other electronic waste, resulting in significant savings in local tax dollars. Even more, the laws are designed to make it easier for you to do the right thing and recycle.
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Computers As E-Waste
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Computers are part of the waste stream known as e-waste, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), which are any old, broken or otherwise unwanted electrical appliances. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2007, 41.1 million desktops and laptops and 31.9 million computer monitors were discarded. E-waste, which can include toxic materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium, comprises the fastest-growing part of the nation's waste stream, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (nrdc.org).
State Laws
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More than half of all state and local governments have or are considering legislation mandating that manufacturers offer free e-waste collection and recycling programs as a condition of selling in their states. Most of the laws were passed in 2007 and 2008, with more anticipated in 2009 and beyond. Programs in New Jersey and Oregon, for example, will take effect in 2010, while similar bans in Illinois and North Carolina launch in 2012.
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Local Laws
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In some cases, computer disposal bans are enacted on a local--county or municipal--level, even if the state has no such ban. Check with your state environmental agency at epa.gov/epahome/state.htm to see whether your state bans e-waste from landfills. New York City, for example, passed a ban on e-waste landfilling and incineration that takes effect between 2009 and 2010. Items covered by the ban are computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers and TVs.
Is It Free?
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Be sure to check with your state or local program to determine whether manufacturers pick up the full tab for the collection and recycling of your computer. According to the Electronics TakeBack Coalition (electronicstakeback.com), Indiana's producer responsibility law launches in 2010 and is free to households, public schools and small businesses of fewer than 100 employees. Maine's program, which took effect in 2006, is free only to households. California's program started in 2004 and uniquely requires consumers to pay a fee at purchase that goes into a state recycling fund used to reimburse recyclers.
Scope of Products
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The scope of products also varies with each state. In Maine, computers unattached to monitors are excluded from the program, and California accepts monitors but not computers. Many programs, too, do not include the keyboard and mouse in their scope of accepted products. The e-waste law in Illinois is broad in scope, allowing for the collection and recycling of computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards and mice.
Federal Law
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Doesn't federal law ban e-waste from landfills? "Not exactly," states the Electronics TakeBack Coalition. The federal law that covers solid and hazardous waste disposal (the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA) maintains that cathode ray tubes are hazardous and are banned from landfills. However, households and businesses that are "small quantity generators" are exempt from the RCRA ban. E-waste recycling leaders are working with Congress on the development of a national takeback and recycling program.
Word of Caution
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E-waste recycling advocates have been pressing Congress to ban global e-waste dumping. As state legislation diverts more e-waste from landfills to recyclers, much of the material is being shipped to China and other developing countries for processing where it poses great health and environmental risk. Many are pushing for federal legislation to prevent the export of e-waste, including the Basel Action Network (ban.org), which provides a list of recyclers who have pledged to recycle domestically according to environmental guidelines.
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Resources
- Photo Credit New laws divert computers from landfills.
