Colorado EPR Packaging Bill Sparks Controversy in the Industry
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) published the final regulations for the Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act in February to help implement the state’s EPR law. According to a press release, the regulations will “help reduce waste going to landfills, promote recycling, and help prevent foam litter from affecting communities.”
The regulations come after it was discovered that electronics manufacturers were no longer abiding by certain legislative rules that required them to absorb all costs of the collection and recycling program, which resulted in e-scrap management costs falling to recyclers, municipalities and consumers. According to a document summarizing the new regulations, “the regulations clarify and strengthen requirements for the provision of a free and convenient acceptance program to consumers as originally intended by the Act, which may result in increased cost to manufacturers.” In addition, manufacturers and collectives will now be required to enhance their acceptance programs in mail back, convenience, public education and outreach programs. Manufacturers will also be required to provide additional acceptance methods like pick-up, and permanent collections sites or events when mail back programs are not convenient for consumers.
Manufacturers will not be the only companies affected by the new regulations. Security expansions in the regulations will require additional training on handling potentially hazardous material for E-scrap collectors and processors. Processing facilities will also be required to arrange financial assurance for their facilities to be cleaned or cleared if anything should happen to the company, with costs of such services varying depending on facility size.
The regulations will go into effect January 2023, and will cover several facets of New York’s Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act including computers, computer peripherals and small electronic equipment.
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