Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has signed House Bill 708 into law, creating a program to recycle electronic scrap from residents in the commonwealth. The program is funded through a registration fee paid by manufacturers and retailers.
Rep. Chris Ross sponsored the bill, which requires manufactures of covered devices for sale in the commonwealth to register with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), paying a fee of $5,000. The DEP will maintain a list of manufacturers and brands of devices covered under the act on its website.
“The disposal of these electronic devices is potentially hazardous to the environment, and while some manufacturers and communities have taken steps to address the disposal problem, there was no statewide solution until now,” says Ross. “This legislation will make recycling e-waste much more convenient for residents and small businesses, while allowing manufacturers the opportunity to develop recycling systems that are cost effective.”
Currently, the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of 1988 provides for mandatory recycling or proper disposal of certain materials in municipalities of more than 5,000 people, but the act does not specify computer equipment and televisions. House Bill 708 provides for the disposal of desktop and notebook computers, monitors and televisions used by small businesses and for personal use.
The new law goes into effect within 60 days of Nov. 24, the date Rendell signed the bill.
Manufacturers must renew their registrations with the DEP yearly and pay a registration fee of $5,000 by Jan. 1 of each program year. The registration and each annual renewal must include a list of all brands the manufacturer is using on its covered devices regardless of whether the manufacturer owns or licenses the brand.
“Our goal is to keep these cumbersome devices out of our landfills and to provide consumers and businesses employing 50 or fewer people with a safe means of disposal,” says Ross. “My legislation will require manufacturers to register their brands with the state Department of Environmental Protection within six months of the effective date of this legislation and to devise a plan to collect, transport and recycle televisions and personal computers.”
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