By Shane Robinson
March 19, 2001

One of the most lively panel discussions at this year's Annual Meeting focused on Electronics Recycling and "Extended Producer Responsibility" or "Shared Responsibility" issues. Fernando Gonzales and Wayne Omokawa of the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation gave a presentation about their city's special electronics collection days that attracted almost 2000 residential participants and collected about 100 tons of "e-waste."

Omokawa stressed that while this project has been successful in meeting its objectives, such activities are not adequate to confront what he called "The Other Y2K" — the coming flood of computer equipment and televisions that is expected to enter the nation's waste stream in the next few years. According to Omokawa, his efforts to recruit local computer industry groups to participate have been largely unsuccessful and he believes that "producers need to take responsibility" on this issue.

Holly Evans, Director of Environmental Programs and Deputy General Counsel of the Electronics Industries Alliance, presented the industry-wide perspective on electronics recycling, was quick to respond that the industry is making big strides in dealing with these issues. EIA, a trade association that represents more than 2400 companies ranging from suppliers to original equipment manufacturers, has research programs to reduce the environmental impacts from equipment design, use, and disposal. The goal, Evans says, of these programs is to "promote effective, market-based end-of-life management solutions for used electronics by linking design and end-of-life considerations."

The next speaker, Tim Mann, Program Manager of Environmentally Conscious Products at IBM, reported on IBM's efforts to reduce electronics waste. Mann explained the challenge that producers face in dealing with electronics waste, citing the differences in recycling infrastructure, collections programs, customer demand for recycling, and regulations around the world. IBM's only solution so far in the U.S. has been to offer a PC Recycling Service that customers can pay for themselves. Mann stressed that this program was only a first step and that an industry-wide solution is needed because large economies-of-scale can make for a less costly system. Joe Aho of Recycle America, a division of Waste Management Inc., was last to speak, giving the recycler's perspective. He spoke to the importance of transportation costs in developing an electronics recycling program and also said that retailers should play a part. Aho also discussed the partnership between his company and Sony — the "Sony Only" program in Minnesota. The "Sony Only" program is a five-year agreement among Waste Management, Sony Electronics, and the State of Minnesota in which residential and commercial customers are encouraged to take their old Sony electronic items to designated drop-off points for recycling at no cost. He believes that companies like his will play an important part in developing the kind of national, industry-wide system that Tim Mann of IBM called for. These issues are of such importance to cities that in June 2000, the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed the "Shared Responsibility for Waste Reduction Resolution" at its annual conference. The resolution directs municipalities to work with industry to develop voluntary programs to address the issue of waste reduction through a combined effort of industry, local government and the consumer. Over the past year, MMWA has been working with industry representatives from its Solid Waste Advisory Council, to develop and implement a practical and effective national strategy for shared responsibility and pollution prevention.