Recycles.Org  BETA Nonprofit Materials Exchange Network Computer & Office Electronics Recycling & Reuse

Date: Thursday, 2 June 2005

Title: Thompson moves forward with e-waste legislation

Source: by Hannah Horton, 5/29/2005

Remarks: http://www.eurekareporter.com/

An average computer never lives to see its third birthday; instead, it is thrown away, replaced by a newer, faster model. Americans dispose of 3,000 tons of computers every day, causing a serious and growing environmental problem, according to Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) at a recent news conference in Washington, D.C. Thompson announced the official formation of the Congressional E-Waste Working group. The bipartisan group plans to create solutions for safely disposing of those old, outdated computers. Electronic waste or e-waste is defined as any disposed material containing electronic components – computers, monitors, TVs and cellular telephones, among others. Many of these electronic items contain such hazardous materials as mercury and lead, which can contaminate the ground at landfills and get into the water supply, said Megan Purvis, environmental health advocate at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. “It’s one of the largest, most silent waste problems in the country,” she said. Campaigns by cell phone companies promising consumers new phones every few years also contribute to the growth of e-waste, Purvis said. Peter Muscanelli, president of the International Association for Electronics Recyclers, said that recycling old computers and cell phones is beneficial for two reasons: it keeps landfills free of tons of potentially hazardous waste, and some of the electrical components have value because they can be reused. But there are some problems associated with the recycling of e-waste, Purvis said. Often, old electronics are processed in jails or sent overseas, and those recycling facilities have inadequate equipment and safety standards, putting workers at risk of exposure to hazardous materials, she said. E-waste recycling programs in U.S. jails are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said Rick Goss, director of environmental affairs at the Electronic Industries Alliance, which represents U.S. electronic companies and manufacturers. Inmates have a choice to work at those facilities and are properly trained, he said. Members of EIA do not send e-waste overseas where it may not be “properly managed,” Goss said. The E-Waste Working Group intends to work toward passing the National Computer Recycling Act, a bill authored by Thompson. Currently, there is no national law about the recycling and disposal of e-waste, but states have their own policies. California is the only state with legislation requiring an advance recycling fee on the purchase of some electronics. The National Computer Recycling Act proposes that, much like the California law, a fee of no more than $10 be charged at the original purchase of a computer. The revenue from these fees would then be used for grants given to government and recycling organizations that would collect e-waste and safely recycle it. The EIA supports Congress’ efforts to create a national plan for e-waste recycling. “As an industry, we don’t want a patchwork of approaches,” Goss said. “We’d like to see national consistency.” The National Computer Recycling Act has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials and is currently awaiting discussion. Besides their legislative efforts, Thompson and the other members of the working group will also promote the proper disposal of e-waste in their respective congressional districts. Thompson’s office will help publicize e-waste collection days in Humboldt County. (Hannah Horton is in Washington D.C. with the Summer Institute of Journalism, a four-week journalism program. She is living on Capitol Hill with 15 other journalism students. The goal of SIJ is for student journalists to work as correspondents from Washington D.C., finding national stories with regional hooks.)