Legislation on E-Scrap Introduced to U.S. Senate

Two U.S. Senators, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.), have introduced legislation that would give consumers and industry tax incentives to safely dispose of old or outdated personal or office electronics, which contain a number of hazardous toxins including lead, mercury and cadmium.

The Electronic Waste Recycling and Promotion and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 would provide incentives to create the first-ever nationwide electronic waste recycling infrastructure, making it more convenient and cost-effective for American consumers to recycle computers, computer monitors, laptop computers and televisions. The proposed legislation also directs the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of various e-waste recycling programs to recommend a national program.

“Growing mountains of e-waste are clogging our nation’s landfills and posing great risks to Americans’ health and to our natural environment,” said Wyden. “As technology improves and folks get newer and faster computers, they need a safe and easy way to get rid of their old machines. This legislation gives consumers, recyclers, retailers and manufacturers alike incentives to recycle old computers responsibly.”

“Americans don’t want to throw their electronic scraps out with the garbage, but without a recycling infrastructure, sometimes the only alternative is stockpiling them in their homes,” said Talent. “We want to provide an incentive for people to recycle electronic waste and create an infrastructure that makes the process as convenient and cost-effective as possible. This is a common sense idea that will help protect our land, air and water from toxins such as lead, mercury and other hazardous materials contained in electronics.”

The recycling bill calls for the following steps:

• Establish an $8 per unit tax credit for companies that recycle at least 5,000 display screens or computer system units per year.

• Establish a $15 tax credit for consumers who recycle their old computers and TVs, provided they use qualified recyclers.

• Prohibit the disposal of any electronic equipment containing a display screen greater than four inches or any computer system unit in a municipal solid waste landfill, beginning three years after the bill is passed. This provision is contingent upon the EPA Administrator finding that a majority of U.S. households have reasonable access to e-waste recycling.

• Modify the EPA’s Universal Waste Rule to classify display screens and system units as “universal wastes” to allow for easier collection, processing, transportation and recycling.

• Require federal executive agencies to ensure that every display screen or system unit procured by the government is recovered and recycled.

• Direct the EPA Administrator to study and make recommendations to Congress on the feasibility of establishing a nationwide recycling program that would preempt any state plan, within one year.

Several groups that have expressed support for the issues in the bill are the following: the National Recycling Coalition, the Environmental Technology Council, the Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition, Waste Management Corp., Hewlett Packard Corp. and Intel Corp.

The bill is expected to be referred to the Senate Finance committee.