(The CERC Policy Position on Handling Consumer Electronics at their End-of-Life can be found here.)
CERC realizes that consumer electronic recycling is on the forefront of the environmental communities’ mind. How our nation addresses environmental issues in all walks of life over the next decade is a top global priority. As it particularly impacts our industry, CE retailers realize that they have an important role in working with other stakeholders and being active participants in developing and advocating for a successful national consumer electronics management system that we realize will have to be implemented at the local level.
CERC members are located in every community and, therefore take very seriously our responsibility to support consumer-friendly and environmentally responsible policies for the initial design and later disposal of consumer electronics when they have reached the end of their useful lives. Because our members have stores in and do business in all 50 states and throughout the world we have come to realize that it is important to understand that the most economically unreasonable and administratively unfeasible way to develop a successful management program is to implement different eScrap “solutions” in differed states.
It is for this reason that CERC continues to lead efforts to achieve a workable national solution – easy for consumers to participate in, easy for agencies to administer, and economical for both manufacturers and retailers. We have participated in numerous discussions with Members of Congress to see if the interested stakeholders can come together in support of a Federal approach. Unfortunately, California’s Advance Recovery Tax at the Point of Sale approach has been shown to be an administrative nightmare, an unnecessary bureaucracy, and not at all successful in achieving the recycling goals it promised. Ever since CA passed its law not one new state law has passed mirroring that approach, while, at least four states have subsequently passed what is referred to as Producer Responsibility laws. Retailers are still responsible for consumer education and are deemed to be a ‘manufacturer’ for their private labels, but the original designer/producer of the product is ultimately responsible for either paying into a fund or developing a workable recycling program. In addition to Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota passing such laws, the Eastern Region of the Council of State Governments together with the Northeast Recycling Coalition, as well as the five states in the Midwest Region, looked at the issue, heard from a broad spectrum of interested stakeholders, and ultimately endorsed the Manufacturer Responsibility model. The national CSG organization at the end of 2006 unanimously endorsed this approach, as well.
CERC compiles and regularly updates a “Matrix of Active eScrap Legislation” that outlines the various bills being considered in state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. Where possible, we have hyperlinked the individual bills directly back to the legislative body considering the initiative. We also have compiled a “Matrix of Enacted eScrap Laws” including the just passed and signed into law, Minnesota Producer Responsibility measure.
CERC has been calling for Federal legislation as part of its electronics recycling policy position for a number of years. We recently crafted a draft Proposal for Federal Legislation with the leading computer manufacturer, HP, and have submitted this outline to the U.S. Congressional eScrap Working Group and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) who are both supportive of a national approach, as well.