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Olympia, Wash.—Legislation to address the increasing problem of electronic waste passed the House of Representatives 94-0 yesterday. Sponsored by Rep. Mike Cooper (D-Edmonds), SHB 2488 would require the Department of Ecology to work with electronics manufacturers and retailers, local governments, environmental groups, and others to develop recommendations for financing and implementing a statewide solution for collecting, recycling, and reusing obsolete computers and TVs.

Electronic equipment contains lead, mercury and other hazardous substances that pose a threat to human health and the environment when improperly disposed. In 2002, an estimated 1.7 million monitors, computers and TVs from residents and small businesses became obsolete in Washington State. Responsibly recycling this equipment would cost an estimated $25 million.

"We need to find a solution quickly so that taxpayers and local governments aren’t stuck with the bill," said Ivy Sager-Rosenthal of the Washington Public Interest Research Group (WashPIRG). "Recycling electronic products not only benefits the environment and public health, but with the increased need for collection and recycling infrastructure, it also creates jobs."

SHB 2488 would require Ecology, business, local governments, environmental organizations, and others to examine current electronic product recycling programs in the state, encourage pilot programs as needed, and research different approaches for financing a collection and recycling system. Ecology must submit its recommendations by December 2004.

Environmental groups and other proponents of SHB 2488 want computer and TV manufacturers to finance the collection and recycling programs for the products they sell. Called "extended producer responsibility," this approach is being implemented in Japan, Europe, Taiwan and elsewhere.

"Requiring manufacturers to pay to recycle the products they sell creates a financial incentive for them to design products that are less toxic, more upgradeable, and easier to recycle," said Suellen Mele of Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation. "This should be one of the main goals of any recycling program."

Meanwhile, at the national level, three years of negotiations among electronics manufacturers, governments and environmental stakeholders ended without reaching a final agreement to solve the e-waste problem. It’s now up to the industry representatives to develop a comprehensive front-end financing model that is supported by a significant portion of the market share of both the computer and television sectors. If manufacturers come to an agreement on the financing system, a decision will be made whether to reconvene the entire national stakeholder group.

Industry’s ability to resolve the differences among their own ranks is uncertain. It’s also unknown whether or when national legislation needed to implement such a system could be passed.

"With so little assurance of a national solution, Washington State needs to move forward to solve its own e-waste problems and provide citizens with convenient, no-cost recycling options," said Suellen Mele. "SHB 2488 would be a step in that direction."

Information on national efforts to develop a nationwide collection, recycling, and reuse program can be found at www.NEPSI.org.

Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation is a nonprofit, citizen-based advocacy group working to keep Washington a leader in waste reduction and recycling.

WashPIRG is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to environmental protection, consumer rights, and good government.