Electronics Update Spring 2005

Electronics Update

With the arrival of spring, the new Electronic Waste Recycling Act (Chapter 526, Statutes of 2003, Sher, SB 20, as amended by Chapter 863, Statutes of 2004, Sher, SB 50) is now in full bloom. If you have purchased new computer monitors, televisions, or laptop computers since January 1, 2005, you may have noticed the new Electronic Waste Recycling Fee collected on each item purchased for use in California. Think of this as an advance recycling fee: the funds help offset the cost of recycling certain types of electronic equipment at the end of its useful life. Through payments to approved recyclers and collectors, the Electronic Waste Recycling Program aims to eliminate the cost commonly paid by consumers for recycling monitors and televisions.

A critical requirement for approved collectors and approved recyclers is documenting the source of electronic devices. Approved collectors and recyclers can submit a payment claim for eligible electronic equipment collected from a California source. The approved collectors and recyclers must provide documentation to substantiate their claim. Any business interested in becoming an approved collector or recycler must have a clear understanding of the regulations that govern the program.

With the implementation of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act, there has been some confusion about the distinction between the existing Electronic Product Management Directory (EPMD) and the list of approved collectors and approved recyclers. The act established a payment system for fee collection and for approved collectors and approved recyclers. The EPMD, a popular topic in this column, provides information about organizations that collect, reuse, and/or recycle electronic equipment.

The EPMD, designed to provide residents and businesses with a list of organizations in their county that accept unneeded electronic equipment, existed well before the act. The organizations listed in the EPMD are not required to become approved collectors or approved recyclers. The "approval" of collectors and recyclers is a process specific to the payment system established in the Electronic Waste Recycling Act.

When considering options for managing your unneeded electronic equipment, remember the old adage, "change is constant." As the program continues to evolve, the types and costs of services will continue to change, and more options for how to manage unneeded electronic equipment will develop. The other popular adage of "buyer beware" also applies, so shop around to find an organization that meets your needs and provides services that best address your current situation. If you have working computers, consider donating them to a nonprofit organization that reuses or refurbishes equipment. If your organization upgrades to new equipment on a regular basis, consider trading in old equipment when negotiating the purchase of new equipment, an option that may reduce your purchase price.

Resources for retailers now available. A customer will be most interested in how to recycle their old television or monitor when they see the Electronic Waste Recycling Fee on their sales receipt. To help retailers of electronic equipment answer customer questions about the program, a collection of educational materials is available through www.eRecycle.org. These include sample text and artwork for point-of-sale outreach materials. Customers can identify recycling opportunities that currently exist in their community by visiting www.eRecycle.org and selecting "Recycle My Old Equipment" from the left navigation bar. The types of services vary widely between communities, so this is a valuable resource to help organizations and their customers identify local recycling options.

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Last updated: August 01, 2008