EPA Looks to Adjust Regs for Electronics Waste

The Federal Environmental Protection Agency is proposing changes to its existing waste regulations for computers, televisions and mercury-containing equipment to discourage their disposal and promote reuse and recycling of these products.

"By streamlining our waste regulations, we encourage more reuse and recycling, cut costs and reduce paperwork," said Christie Whitman, EPA administrator. "At the same time we continue to protect public health and the environment by providing better methods for reusing, recycling and managing materials containing hazardous substances such as lead and mercury."

EPA estimates that more than 250 million computers in this country will be retired from use over the next five years. The proposal would encourage more reuse and recycling of these computers.

For instance, if CRTs are being considered for possible reuse, the proposal clarifies that EPA considers them to be "products," rather than "waste." Therefore, they would not be regulated under the waste requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

EPA is also proposing to lift the waste designation from glass removed from CRTs, as long as the glass is sent for recycling and managed in accordance with simplified storage, labeling and transportation requirements specified in the proposal. EPA believes that these proposed changes will encourage the recycling of these materials, while minimizing the possibility of releasing lead into the environment.

This proposal will also streamline regulations for mercury- containing equipment. Under the proposal, mercury-containing equipment will be treated as a "universal waste," rather than being subject to the full hazardous waste regulations under RCRA. Universal wastes are usually items commonly thrown into the trash by households and small businesses, such as batteries, thermostats, lamps and pesticides.

EPA issued the first universal waste rule in 1995 to streamline environmental regulations for wastes produced in relatively small quantities by large numbers of businesses. Handlers of universal wastes follow special standards designed to encourage centralized collection and recycling in order to keep these wastes out of landfills and incinerators.