AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS RECYCLING AUTHORITY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2007) The following terms, as used in section 2 of this act, shall have the indicated meanings unless the context in which they are used demands a different meaning and intent:

(1) "Electronic products" means televisions, desktop computer central processing units and monitors and laptop computers;

(2) "Authority" means the Connecticut Electronic Products Recycling Authority created and established pursuant to section 2 of this act or any board, body, commission, department, officer, agency or other successor thereto;

(3) "Electronic waste" means discarded electronic products; and

(4) "Manufacturer" means a manufacturer of electronic products sold in Connecticut.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2007) (a) There is established a Connecticut Electronic Products Recycling Authority, which shall be within an existing state agency or quasi-public agency designated by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The authority, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall establish and implement a program for the collection and recycling of electronic waste.

(b) The authority may: (1) Assess and collect fees from manufacturers as necessary to cover the cost of developing and implementing such program, including, but not limited to, the cost of collection, recycling, consumer education and administration. These fees shall be paid by manufacturers of electronic products proportionate to their market share of electronic products sold in Connecticut, as determined by the authority; (2) require manufacturers of electronic products sold in Connecticut to report annually on sales of electronic products and the quantity of electronic waste from Connecticut that such manufacturer may have otherwise collected and recycled.

(c) On or after July 1, 2009, any manufacturer who fails to comply with the provisions of the program established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be prohibited from offering for sale any electronic products in Connecticut.

(d) On or after July 1, 2010, no person or municipality shall dispose of any electronic waste in a landfill or resource recovery facility, or place any electronic waste into a disposal system to be taken to a landfill or resource recovery facility.

(e) On or before July 1, 2009, and biennially thereafter, the electronic products recycling authority shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and to the Commissioner of Environmental Protection concerning the capture rate of electronic waste that is recycled.

(f) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may, in consultation with the authority, adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, to carry out the purposes of this section.

Statement of Purpose:

To establish the Connecticut Electronic Products Recycling Authority to establish and implement a program for the collection and recycling of electronic waste.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]