Dive Brief:
- A bill concerning electronics recycling was introduced at a Illinois House Environmental Committee hearing in Springfield, IL.
- House Bill 4204 proposes changes in a state law that would help save underfunded electronics recycling programs.
- Critics of the status quo attribute rising e-waste recycling expenses to the increasing costs associated with recycling and low standards for electronics manufacturer recycling.
Dive Insight:
E-waste such as TVs, computers, and most appliances aren’t allowed to be discarded into landfills in the state. Local governments have created recycling programs in response to the ban.
But recyclers cannot keep up with the costs of operating e-waste facilities, and many have shut down because they are lack the funds to keep the facility open. Illegal dumping has expanded as the numbers of communities without e-waste services rises.
The recycling centers that remain open have started to charge the local governments for recycling services. One measure addressed by the new bill is that recyclers will no longer be able to request that governments cover expenses. The law would also set an increase in recycling limits for manufacturers.