EIA Offers Framework for Federal Electronics Recycling Legislation

The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) has released a framework that, according to the organization, “paves the way for federal legislation establishing a national program for recycling household TVs and information technology (IT) products such as computers and computer monitors.”

The board of EIA’s Environmental Issues Council, which includes companies such as HP, Lenovo, Panasonic and Sharp, approved the plan, and EIA officials have delivered copies to the Bush Administration, Congress, state officials, industry stakeholders and environmental advocacy organizations.

“This framework represents the first consensus agreement among IT and TV manufacturers on meeting the nation’s electronics recycling challenge,” Matt Flanigan, EIA’s interim president and CEO, says. “We’re offering these ideas to advance the work of Sen. Ron Wyden, Reps. Mike Thompson, Mary Bono, Louise Slaughter, Zach Wamp, Albert Wynn and so many others seeking a national solution. The electronics industry has long been a leading environmental steward, so it’s fitting that these companies are once again at the forefront of addressing this environmental priority.”

“This agreement among consumer electronics and information technology manufacturers marks a watershed event for proactively addressing the electronics waste management issue,” David A. Thompson, director of Panasonic Corp. of North America’s Corporate Environmental Department, says. “By recognizing the unique product distribution channels and customer usage patterns, EIA’s agreement will facilitate greater electronic product recycling in an environmentally prudent and cost effective manner.”

“This proposal is an important step forward in achieving industry consensus,” Matt Krupnick, public policy counsel for Dell, says. “We will continue to work with policymakers to promote innovation, drive efficiency and create effective IT collection methods.”

The EIA’s proposed framework, available at www.eia.org, calls for a bifurcated financing approach, separating TVs from desktop computers, laptops and computer monitors, to reflect their divergent business models, market composition and consumer base. TV collection and recycling would be primarily conducted by an industry-sponsored third-party organization and initially would be supported by a nominal fee consumers would pay at the time of purchase. The fee would expire once a significant number of “legacy” televisions had been recovered.

Producers of IT equipment would implement a program to collect and recycle their products in a manner that is convenient for household consumers and at no cost to them. IT manufacturers would have to offer such a program as a condition of conducting business.

Rick Goss, EIA’s vice president of environmental affairs, says, “We sincerely hope that other stakeholders will be motivated by the same spirit of compromise as we seek a uniform recycling program that our country wants and needs.”

Another provision of EIA’s framework calls for meeting the materials restrictions established by the European Union’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive and a similar California statute. “Our companies design, manufacture and sell these products in the global marketplace and strongly support one consistent set of requirements,” Goss says.

EIA, based in Arlington, Va., has nearly 1,300 member companies, ranging from manufacturers of electronic components to complex systems. EIA hosts an electronics recycling Web site at www.ecyclingcentral.com that provides reuse, recycling and donation options for consumers across the United States.