By Ted Fischer and Judy Sheahan
April 25, 2005

The problem of recycling electronic equipment was discussed at the Municipal Waste Management's (MWMA) Legislative and Regulatory Meeting on April 14 in Washington (DC). Equipment such as computers, cell phones, and televisions are being disposed of or stored in greater numbers due to people upgrading their equipment.

However, these products cannot be easily disposed due to the heavy metals and other toxic materials that are contained in these products. The MWMA met with representatives from both Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss potential solutions to this growing problem.

"Manufacturing take-back saves cities and municipalities costs and long term problems," said Victoria Stackwick, a staff member of Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham (CA). "We are in support of third party recycling, tax credits and even fees collected at the initial sale of the item," she added.

Cunningham is part of a consortium of concerned members of Congress who are looking at potential legislative solutions. Stackwick talked about the discussions that consortium has had with electronic manufacturers. She said that eleven companies, including Sony, have told them that recycling is not what their company does, but that they are willing to pay for someone else to pick up their products at the end of their productive life.

Stackwick said, "We realize that eCycling is becoming a large problem and it is only getting larger. We are in support of a Congressional movement to place some standards and rules on processes and procedures."

Cunningham introduced H.R. 320, which amends the Internal Revenue Code to encourage manufacturers to recycle. "H.R. 320 allows manufactures of certain computer, cell phone and television equipment a business tax credit for the disposal and recycling of such equipment," Stackwick said. She also mentioned that the state of California, along with other states, have forced companies to evaluate this issue of electronics recycling by banning electronic goods from landfills.

Stackwick said, "We are not looking to expand bureaucracy or government or even tell companies how to do their jobs; we are simply trying to find an answer to this growing problem in the waste community."

Verena Radulovic, from the Office of Solid Waste at EPA, briefed meeting participants about EPA's current initiatives regarding eCycling. EPA's electronics goals consisted of fostering environmentally conscious design and manufacturing, increasing the purchase and use of more environmentally sustainable electronics, and working to increase safe environmentally sound reuse and recycling of used electronics.

EPA will be proposing a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) rule which would streamline management requirements for used CRTs and processed CRT glass. CRTs are found in television and computer monitors. This rule was created to encourage increased consumer and manufacture reuse, recycling and better management for this growing waste stream while maintaining necessary environmental protection. EPA hopes to unveil the new CRT rule sometime this year.

Radulovic also spoke about EPA's current partnership know as "Plug-In To eCycling." The partnership works with companies such as Best Buy, Staples, Sony and Office Depot and agrees to host collection and outreach events or programs that provide valuable information to not only consumers but to other manufactures and company employees. For more Plug-In To eCycling information visit EPA's website at www.plugintoecycling.org.

Both Radulovic and Stackwick agreed that standards need to be defined and that end users could be liable for materials that are unusable, considered waste and contain hazardous materials. Both agreed there needs to be a way to dispose of materials in an environmentally friendly fashion that will be beneficial for everyone.