Pennsylvania senate introduces e-scrap recycling legislation

Pennsylvania Sen. Amanda M. Cappelletti has introduced a bill that would overhaul the commonwealth's current electronics recycling law, the Covered Device Recycling Act of 2010. 

According to a new release from the Pennsylvania Senate Democrats, with the rapid production of electronics, devices such as cellphones and laptops become obsolete overnight. Manufacturers struggle to keep up with the demand. Disposing of these devices can be expensive for consumers, and the materials in these devices can be harmful and toxic to the environment.  

The legislation, introduced as Senate Bill 1310, would amend the Covered Device Recycling Act to enhance and restructure Pennsylvania’s electronic recycling system.   

The bill would establish a clearing house responsible for managing a stewardship plan for manufacturers to follow in the commonwealth. It also would implement an “eco-fee,” the amount that would be added to the purchase of new electronic devices to cover the cost of collecting, transporting and preprocessing postconsumer electronics from covered electronic device (CED) manufacturers or stewardship organizations and the costs the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection bears to fulfill its obligations to implement the program. The eco-fee would apply eco-fee devices, or EFDs, which are monitors or televisions with a screen size of 7 inches or greater when measured diagonally.   

“By establishing an electronic recycling program in Pennsylvania, we can prevent harmful chemicals and materials from polluting our natural lands and waterways and improve the overall quality of our public health,” Cappelletti says. “Pennsylvanians will be able to remove clutter and safely dispose of electronic waste through accessible and affordable options.”