Feb 5 - Study: E-waste Recycling Could Create 42,000 Jobs
A new study commissioned by the Coalition For American Electronics Recycling (CAER) found that Federal legislation that would restrict exports of electronic waste from the U.S. to developing countries ould create as many as 42,000 direct and indirect new jobs with a total payroll of more than $1 billion.
CAER currently has 83 recyclers and businesses as members and was formed to support the passage of national electronics recycling legislation, the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2011. The measure would have prohibited U.S. recyclers from dumping electronic waste on developing countries and to promote recycling jobs at home.
In California, the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 helps to restrict export of covered electronic waste (electronic devices with a screen) by only paying recyclers for electronic devices that they have dismantled and recycled in-state. However, there is currently no similiar restrictions for non-covered devices (devices without a screen).
Conducted by DSM Environmental Services, Inc., the study found that processing e-waste in the U.S. instead of exporting it to developing countries would create 21,000 full-time equivalent recycling jobs with a corresponding payroll of $772 million and the potential to create another 21,000 indirect jobs.