The Department of Environmental Protection this week said it would support a ban on electronics waste—TVs, computers and monitors—going to landfills as part of an effort to promote recycling this growing segment of waste.

The remarks were made at a special hearing on electronics waste recycling held by the Joint Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee this week. The Committee chair is Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) and the vice-chair is Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne).

Thomas Fidler, DEP Deputy Secretary for Waste, Air and Radiation Management, told the Committee his agency supports a ban saying, “In order to meet the demand of managing future growth in electronics discards, it is time to establish a more comprehensive approach through legislation.

“In further defining how eCycling would be instituted in the Commonwealth, the department is specifically interested in a shared responsibility model where manufacturers and retailers take ownership of eCycling and financially support the development of new and retention of existing recycling infrastructure involving either a third part organization, or a program where retailers serve as the drop-off point for electrics that they sell.

“The department is not funded or staffed at levels needed to further develop the infrastructure required to meet the expected obsolescence of electronic equipment,” Fidler said.

Meggan Ehret, representing the Electronic Manufacturers Coalition for Responsible Recycling, said the Federal Communications Commission directive that all broadcast media change to digital signals by 2009 will bring about a significant increase in the disposal of TVs as consumers replace their old models for new ones capable of receiving digital broadcasts.

Her group favored legislation requiring consumers to pay an advanced recovery fee, like California has, be adopted for each new television that would finance a system for recycling old TVs.

Bob Erie, CEO of E-World Recyclers, outlined the advanced recovery fee system California has in place for televisions and computer monitors, but noted while the system has promoted e-waste recycling, California’s system that pays both the collectors and recyclers of electronic equipment has led to a bidding war where collectors hold material hostage as they demand higher payments from recyclers.

Erie also noted the complexity of California’s system that requires collectors and recyclers to have a manifest showing the name, address and phone for each television and monitor collected so no out-of-state electronics were included in the program. These manifests are then audited by a state agency to ensure there is no cheating.

Joanne Soneshine, Environmental Policy Manager for the Consumer Electronics Association, recommended a national system for recycling e-waste saying the “ever-growing web of differing state laws” presents real problems for electronics manufacturers.

Rep. Chris Ross (R-Chester) said a recent conference by the Council of State Governments concluded that model state legislation was needed for e-waste, recommending an approach that made producers responsible for recycling the products they make.

He noted a state-operated advanced recycling fee system was complex to administer and would be considered a tax by the public. Rep. Ross also recommended against adopting a landfill ban which could result in a dramatic increase in illegal dumping of e-waste in rural or other areas.

Also presenting testimony were Joseph Nardone, Amandi Services, Inc., a glass recycler, Rona Cohen, Council of State Governments, and Bob Bylone, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center.

10/5/2007