Since the July 6, 2006 enactment of CAW-sponsored AB 2901(Pavely, 2004) and AB 1125(Pavely, 2005), California retailers are legally obligated to to take back and recycle cell phones and reusable batteries.

In the U.S., cell phone use has surged from 340,000 subscribers in 1985 to over 150 million in 2003. It is estimated that 19 million Californians use a cell phone. Most cell phones have an average life span of only 18 months causing millions to end up in California landfills every year. Not only is this a burden on landfill space, but cell phones contain hazardous materials which, if improperly disposed of, can leak out and contaminate soil and groundwater.

Most consumer electronics contain valuable materials like copper, gold and zinc, which can and should be recycled. A recent Yale University studyconfirmed that extractable metals in the Earth's crust might be threatened with depletion if the usage per person continues to rise. Increasing the recycling rate of all electronic devices is not only imperative for protecting public health, but also for conserving natural resources. The challenge for California and the rest of the planet is educating consumers, developing a convenient infrastructure and covering the costs. Assembly Member Pavley's legislation is an important step.

These two groundbreaking producer responsibility laws provide consumers with thousands of convenient locations for recycling the tens of thousands of tons of toxic batteries and used cell phones that are discarded or illegally dumped annually in California. Though an important step, these measures only cover a portion of the growing toxic wasterberg plaguing our waste stream.

Learn More:

• Cell Phones and Batteries are Just the Tip of the Toxic Wasteberg

• Where Can I Recycle My Cellphone?