California Recycling Bill Amended

Senate Bill 20 by State Senator Byron Sher (D-Stanford), was amended to incorporate changes proposed by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.

With the amendments, SB 20 bifurcates responsibility for e-waste ‘collection’ and ‘recycling’. Collection of hazardous e-waste would be accomplished through a ‘shared responsibility’ system financed through a $3 to $10 point-of-sale fee on devices. Local agencies, private waste handlers, non-profit thrifts, and some manufacturers would provide ‘free and convenient’ collection of e-waste from consumers (including businesses, institutions and households).

Collected devices would be taken to ‘consolidation’ points established and financed by manufacturers. The processing and recycling of e-waste from these consolidation points would be the responsibility of manufacturers who would either provide the service directly or contract with existing recyclers. Manufacturers could opt out of the recycling responsibility by paying a fee to cover the cost of recycling.