
February 27, 2006 |
2006-R-0182 | |
ELECTRONICS RECYCLING IN CALIFORNIA, MAINE AND MARYLAND | ||
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By: Paul Frisman, Principal Analyst | ||
You asked for a point-by-point comparison of the California, Maine, and Maryland electronics waste laws. We compare them in Table I, below. See also OLR Report 2005-R-0077 (attached) which provides additional information on the California and Maine laws.
Table I: Electronics Waste (E-waste) Recycling Programs in California, Maine and Maryland
California |
Maine |
Maryland | |
Statutory citation |
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What products does it include? |
Cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs and computer monitors with screens that measure more that 4” diagonally; laptop computers with LCD displays more than 4” diagonally; and plasma TVs |
TVs and computer monitors with screens that measure more than 4” diagonally The law requires labeling, but not recycling, of CPUs |
Desktop personal computers, laptop computers, and computer monitors
|
Does not include |
Computer central processing units (CPUs) Video displays that are part of a motor vehicle; in commercial, industrial or medical equipment; or in a household appliance |
A car, household appliance or large piece of commercial, commercial medical, or industrial equipment that contains an integral CRT or video display device |
TVs, Personal Digital Assistant devices (“PDAs”), or computer peripheral (e. g. , mouse, detached keyboard, printer) |
Applies to |
Households and businesses |
Households |
Does not specify |
TABLE 1: CONTINUED | |||
California |
Maine |
Maryland | |
Include Internet sales? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Include leases? |
Yes |
No |
No |
Basics |
Buyer pays retailer an “advance recycling fee” of $ 6 to $ 10, (depending on screen size) at time of purchase Retailer remits fee to state |
Shared responsibility by towns, “consolidators,” and manufacturers Towns must develop systems to collect e-waste and bring it to a consolidation (storage) facility for recycling Consolidators identify the proportion of TVs and monitors they receive by manufacturer. They must report to the state on the number of TVs and monitors they receive, by manufacturer, starting March 1, 2007 Consolidators bill each manufacturer for the cost of handling, transporting to a recycler, and recycling, based on the share of e-waste each manufacturer generates Responsibility for transportation costs depend on how much e-waste is picked up at a single site. Manufacturers pay for transportation, including pick- up from a municipal site, if the consolidator picks up at least 16,000 pounds of e-waste at a single municipal collection site. Municipalities bear the transportation costs for less than these full loads Local governments may charge households an end-of-life fee at collection points to cover their transportation costs |
Manufacturers who produced an average of more than 1,000 computers annually in the preceding three years pay the state an annual registration fee Manufacturers pay an initial fee of $ 5,000; subsequent annual fees are either $ 500 or $ 5,000, depending on whether the manufacturer has begun a computer takeback program in the preceding year. The takeback program must be free for the person returning the device A manufacturer is the brand owner or importer of a computer sold in Maryland |
TABLE 1: CONTINUED | |||
California |
Maine |
Maryland | |
Where does the money go? |
Retailer retains 3%; state uses remainder to pay authorized e-waste collectors and recyclers California reimburses recyclers 48¢ per pound. Recyclers pay collectors a 20¢ per pound recovery fee A collector can be a municipality, nonprofit organization, manufacturer, or other entity |
Manufacturer fees are deposited in a State Recycling Trust Fund, which provides grants to (1) counties that voluntarily develop separate computer recycling programs as part of their state-required recycling programs, and (2) municipalities to start local computer recycling programs | |
How are products collected? |
From consumers to a participating collector or recycler |
Municipalities collect them and bring them to a consolidator. Consolidators ship them to recyclers |
By counties, as part of their recycling plans By manufacturers through computer takeback plans |
How are “orphan”* products handled? |
Not directly addressed. Costs paid out of advance recycling fee |
Manufacturers pay a pro-rated fee. |
Not specifically addressed |
Program Evaluation |
Maine Department of Environment must report on e-waste recycling by January 15, 2008, and every two years afterwards until January 15, 2014 |
Maryland Department of Environment must study program's effectiveness and issue report by December 1, 2008 | |
Sources: Individual states, the Council on State Governments, and the Computer Takeback Campaign.
*Orphan products are computers whose manufacturer is no longer in business or cannot be identified.
**Pilot program, ends December 31, 2010.
PF: dw