Update on US Developments on Electronics Recycling

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Update on US Developments on Electronics
Recycling Brian Kelly Senior Vice President,
Government Relations and Communications
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Electronics Recycling in the USFederal

• No National Program for Recycling or Takeback
• Initiative by US EPA Begun in 2001
• National Electronic Product Stewardship
  Initiative (NEPSI) 6 meetings since April 2001
• Stakeholders manufacturers, retailers, state and
  local governments, NGOs
• Goal is national program, which includes a viable
  financing mechanism, to maximize the collection,
  reuse, and recycling of used electronics

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Electronics Recycling in the USState

• California first state to pass legislation in
  August 2002
• Establishes 10 fee on all sales of CRTs veto
  likely due to unlevel playing field
• 20 other states considered legislation on
  electronics recycling fees, studies, or other
• Legislation on chemical restrictions is also
  increasing
• New England states limiting sales of
  mercury-containing products

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Global Principles on Shared Responsibility

• In order to address the growing global trend of
  product-related environmental legislation, WEF
  should adopt the Statement of Principles on
  Shared Responsibility for End of Life Management
  of Electronic Products
• Principles demonstrate that global electronics
  industry is committed to sustainable product
  lifecycle approaches, including positive
  solutions for managing used electronics

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Global Principles on Shared Responsibility

• 1. WEF members are committed to reducing the
  environmental impact of electronics over their
  entire life cycles.
• 2. WEF members accept that a life-cycle approach
  to identify strategic opportunities for pollution
  prevention and resource conservation on a global
  basis is necessary. Environmental regulation
  should enable and support such an approach

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Global Principles on Shared Responsibility

• 3. WEF supports the principle of Shared
  Responsibility for end-of-life management of used
  electronics. Shared responsibility involves a
  voluntary system in which all stakeholders
  (including designers, producers, governments,
  suppliers, users, and disposers) accept
  responsibility and participate in a system for
  end-of-life electronics depending on their
  expertise and roles. Business and economic
  factors will determine the appropriate role for
  each stakeholder.
• 4. WEF believes that implementing a system based
  on shared responsibility principles will increase
  the efficient collection of electronics and
  ensure economies of scale by taking advantage of
  existing infrastructure.

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Global Principles on Shared Responsibility

• 5. WEF supports actions that promote competitive
  collection, recycling and recovery systems for
  end of life electronics. Government action
  should allow for not only closed loop recycling,
  but also for the utilization of the full range of
  markets for recycled materials.
• 6. WEF supports global coordination efforts to
  eliminate barriers to the movement of end of life
  products in order to increase responsible
  recycling of electronics.

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Global Principles on Shared Responsibility

• 7. WEF supports a shift in the approach of
  regulation of end-of-life management from the
  present single-issue type to a more flexible
  one that encourages continuous improvements and
  allows competition and innovative solutions to
  identified problems.
• 8. WEF members recognize that manufacturers
  greatest contribution to shared responsibility is
  through the design phase, supporting the
  production of electronics that minimize the
  environmental impact of products throughout their
  entire lifecycles.