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Title: Wyden aims to encourage safe electronic recycling

Source: http://www.bendbulletin.com/

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation to give tax breaks to individuals and businesses that safely dispose of old electronic equipment, creating a way to curb the spread of dangerous e-waste. The act would establish incentives for a nationwide electronic-waste recycling infrastructure by offering consumers, recyclers, retailers and manufacturers incentives for recycling computers, monitors and television sets responsibly. "Growing mountains of e-waste are clogging our nation's landfills and posing great risks to Americans' health and to our natural environment," Wyden said. "As technology improves and folks get newer and faster computers, they need a safe and easy way to get rid of their old machines." Because new technology is created so quickly, millions of computers become obsolete each year. In 2003, more than 60 million computers became obsolete, according to the latest data from the National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization that researches safety, health and environmental problems. More than 150 million tons of electronic equipment was disposed of in 2004. E-waste is hazardous waste generated by the disposal of technological equipment. Computers contain at least 36 chemicals, including lead and mercury. The bill would give companies that recycle at least 5,000 computers or monitors an $8 tax credit per machine; consumers would get a $15 tax credit for disposing of their electronic equipment through qualified recyclers. It also would prohibit the disposal of computers and electronics with display screens larger than four inches in municipal solid waste landfills, beginning three years after the bill is passed, if people have reasonable access to e-waste recycling. Chad Centola, operations manager for Deschutes County Solid Waste, said he supports Wyden's bill. "Anything the government can do to encourage recycling is a good thing," he said. "The electronic recycling industry is in its infancy. There are a few companies around, but I am looking forward to this industry growing." Centola said he has seen firsthand how successful these types of programs can be. Each year the department has free computer recycling for one day. Last year, 85,680 pounds of e-waste were recycled. This program was so successful that Deschutes Recycling implemented a computer recycling program. Bend residents can recycle computers at Deschutes Recycling, for $3. TVs can be recycled for $25. Kate Krebs, executive director for the National Recycling Coalition, a nonprofit committed to maximizing recycling, said an important outcome of the act would be providing incentives for businesses to determine how to safely recycle computers, which, right now, is not entirely figured out. "Currently there is no understanding of what a long and difficult process it will be to create recycling programs for computers," Krebs said. "It's not the same thing as recycling a plastic bottle. Computers have a multitude of part and materials. You can't just smash it."