The state of Washington’s Senate passed a House bill that aims to boost the recycling of electronic equipment in the state. By a vote of 38 to 11 the state Senate concurred with the Washington House on the Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6428.
The legislation finds that the responsibility for developing the recycling infrastructure must be shared among all the stakeholders, with manufacturers finding the collection, transportation and recycling system.
According to the bill, an independent plan or the standard plan must be implemented and fully operational no later than Jan. 1, 2009. According to the bill, all initial independent plans and the initial standard plan of the act must be submitted to the department by Feb. 1, 2008. The state Department of Ecology will then review each plan.
The bill also calls for a deadline of Jan. 1, 2007 for when each manufacturer must register with the state and present the DOE with its plan to handle the electronic scrap.