A resolution was introduced in the US Congress this week requiring
the US to ban the export of e-waste to developing countries. House
Resolution 1395 by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) explains that older
cathode ray tube (CRT) TV sets contain as much as four pounds of lead
each, with newer LCD TVs containing dangerous levels of mercury. While
the resolution doesn't ban all e-waste exports abroad, it will help
bring the U.S. closer in line to the Basel Convention, an agreement to
regulate the international shipment of toxic waste.

California's E-waste policy passed in 2004 (SB 20) actually explicitly prohibits the export of unprocessed e-waste to non-OECD
countries (i.e. developing countries, including China).

What You Can Do

• Learn more about California's e-waste regulations here.
• Find a place to properly dispose of your e-waste.

Best Buy Co. announces a pilot e-waste collection program in 117 stores accross eight states. According to an article from the Associated Press, consumers will be able to bring in two items per day to one of the participating locations, even if they were not originally purchased from a Best Buy. The initial program will include stores located in Northern California, Minneapolis, Baltimore, and parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconson, Virgina, and Washington D.C. If successful, the company could expand the program to all 922 locations accross the United States.

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Best Buy locations in the program>>

E-waste may contain toxic substances like mercury, cadmium and lead. When e-waste is disposed into landfills, these toxins can be released into the atmosphere or seep into the soil. Additionally, most consumer electronics contain valuable materials like copper, gold and zinc that can and should be recycled.

CAW and E-Waste

• Our work on this issue
• Existing California E-Waste Laws
• Find a place near you to recycle your unwanted electronic items

The New York City Council has overridden a veto by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to enact a producer responsibility law for e-waste that will require manufacturers to collect 65% of e-waste by 2018.

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CAW and E-Waste:

• Learn about AB 218, which would phase out the use of toxic substances in electronics. 

The U.S. House of Represenatives' Science and Technology Committee held a hearing today to discuss and review the current management of e-waste in the United States. This hearing was only a starting point to discuss possible federal e-waste legislation aimed at improving recycling programs for e-waste and developing products with fewer toxins.

Representatives from HP and Sony discussed their current recycling programs, including a representative from HP saying that it makes more sense for manufacturers to pay recycling fees when referencing the high costs to recycling. Even with their programs in place, it was noted that only 15% of HP electronics were recycled last year. In the US, less than 20% of discarded electronics are recycled according to the U.S. EPA. In California, that number is a little higher. Currently, 13 states have created recycling programs, including California.

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What You Can Do

• Learn more about California's e-waste law and other states e-waste laws.
• Find a place to properly dispose of your unwanted electronics.