South Carolina Governor Passes Electronics Recycling Bill

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has signed legislation that encourages electronic scrap recycling and re-use in the state by coordinating producers, citizens and conservation groups to establish recycling programs across South Carolina. The goal of the law is to keep electronic scrap out of landfills.

The bill, H. 4093, encourages the restoration, re-use or recycling of certain electronic consumer devices, including television sets, computer printers and desktop/laptop computers, by having manufacturers provide a free recovery program to consumers.

The bill also aims to keep electronic scrap out of the state’s landfills, while allowing a grace period for manufacturers to sell current inventory by July 2011.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control will regulate the programs.

Supporters of the bill include the Coastal Conservation League, Sierra Club, Waste Management Inc., Hewlett-Packard and other computer manufacturers.

South Carolina joins nearly two dozen other states that have passed legislation addressing the collection and recycling of electronic scrap.