Used electronic products are the most rapidly growing problem in our waste stream due to their quantity and toxicity. Electronic wastes, such as televisions, computers and computer components, contain toxic substances, including lead, mercury, cadmium, lithium, brominated flame retardants, phosphorous coatings, and PVC plastics that create dioxins when burned. These toxic materials can be released upon disposal, posing a threat to human health and the environment.
In the spring of 2004, NRCM provided the leadership that resulted in passage of Maine's unprecedented e-waste law. That law is now being implemented, giving consumers an opportunity to safely dispose of their obsolete computers and TV's more easily and at lower cost than before the law was passed.
- Shared responsibility for recycling
- Major responsibilities of companies and municipalities under the law
- Advantages of the Maine approach
- Learn how to recycle your old computers and televisions
Shared Responsibility for Recycling
Televisions and computer monitors generated as waste by households must be managed in accordance with Maine's e-waste law, which directs a system in which consumers, municipalities, and manufacturers share responsibility for ensuring that these items are properly recycled to reclaim all useable materials and prevent the release of toxics to the environment.
Here are the major responsibilities under the law:
- Municipalities are responsible for ensuring a system for delivery of residential waste televisions and computer monitors to a consolidation facility in Maine. Each municipality decides whether it wants to operate an on-going collection center, do regular one-day collections, or have their residents deliver directly to a near-by consolidator.
- Each manufacturer is responsible for paying the consolidators for the costs of handling, transportation and recycling of their own television and computer monitor products plus a pro rata share of orphan products from receipt at the consolidator through recycling. Orphan products are e-waste for whom a manufacturer cannot be determined. Also, each manufacturer must provide Maine DEP with a plan for compliance and annual reports on the recycling of its products generated as waste in Maine.
- Consolidation facilities are responsible for counting waste household televisions and computer monitors by manufacturer, billing them accordingly, and for annually providing this accounting to Maine DEP (consolidators may contract with recyclers to provide the count by manufacturer). Consolidation facilities are also responsible for shipping only to recyclers that provide certification of meeting Maine 's Environmentally Sound Management Guidelines, and for billing manufacturers for allowable costs.
- Recyclers are responsible for providing consolidators with a sworn statement that its handling, processing, refurbishment and recycling of computer monitors and televisions meet environmentally sound management guidelines published by Maine DEP.
- Retailers are responsible for ensuring they only sell products of manufacturers that are in compliance with Maine 's e-waste law.
- Maine DEP is responsible for publishing Environmentally Sound Management Guidelines for recyclers, for adopting rules on allowable costs, and for annually calculating each manufacturer's pro rata share of orphan products.
Advantages of the Maine approach:
- Flexibility provided to each municipality to determine the best approach to collection and transportation to consolidation facilities for their residents.
- Cost to municipalities limited; municipalities have option of imposing minimal fees to cover their costs.
- System reduces or eliminates consumer “drop-off” fee charged at some municipalities by shifting safe disposal and recycling costs from towns to manufacturers.
- Manufacturer costs begin from point of consolidation of a minimum quantity that provides economies in shipping. Manufacturers have option of reclaiming their product from consolidators.
- Cost of recycling orphan products is to be shared by current manufacturers proportional to their share of the waste stream. System can be set up to defray manufacturer's orphan share by a factor based on manufacturer collection/take-back programs.
- System does not increase the demands on state government resources to manage an advanced recovery fee (ARF) system and/or to enforce an ARF system on retailers.
- System directs recycling of collected products to recyclers that meet Maine DEP-published Environmentally Sound Management Guidelines.
- System rewards companies for product re-design that incorporates recyclability and phases out highly toxic materials.
For information, please contact Matt Prindiville at: mattp@nrcm.org or 207-622-3101 ext. 244.