Public Policy
Are there any laws in the U.S. that address cell phone recycling?
What provisions make an effective cell phone recycling law?
What can our federal government do to stop the dumping in the developing world?
Are there European laws that address cell phone and rechargeable battery recycling?
Are there any laws in the U.S. that address cell phone recycling?
There is no federal law, but laws are being implemented on the state and local levels. As of January 2008, only three states and one county have cell phone recycling laws: California, Maine, New York, and Westchester County, New York. INFORM has a fact sheet on cell phone recycling laws in the U.S. and Europe.
What provisions make an effective cell phone recycling law?
What can our federal government do to stop the dumping in the developing world?
The U.S. Congress can ratify the Basel Convention and the Basel Ban Amendment to end the dumping. The Basel Convention is a global environmental treaty adopted in response to concerns about escalating shipments of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries. The Basel Ban Amendment goes further, which prohibits hazardous waste exports from the most industrialized countries that are part of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to all non-OECD countries. The Basel Convention aims to reduce the generation of hazardous wastes and to minimize their shipment to the developing world. A primary goal is the “environmentally sound management” of hazardous wastes to protect human health and the environment. The Convention contains lists of wastes that are hazardous and establishes controls on their shipment. Among the wastes defined as hazardous are circuit boards containing lead-based solder used in most cell phones.
Are there European laws that address discarded cell phones and rechargeable batteries?
Yes. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive entered into force on February 13, 2003, requiring EU member states to develop individual legislation based on its terms by August 13, 2004. The Directive includes cell phones as part of the electronic equipment that it covers. Cell phone manufacturers must finance collection and recycling of discarded cell phones. Related to the WEEE Directive, the Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, in effect as of July 1, 2006, sets maximum concentration values by weight of each homogeneous material for lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers contained in the listed electrical and electronic equipment. The EU Battery Directive entered into force on September 26, 2006, and member states must transpose this Directive into national law by September 26, 2008. Battery manufacturers and makers of equipment that include batteries must finance collection and recycling of discarded batteries.
Are there any laws in the U.S. that address cell phone recycling?
What provisions make an effective cell phone recycling law?
What can our federal government do to stop the dumping in the developing world?
Are there European laws that address cell phone and rechargeable battery recycling?
Are there any laws in the U.S. that address cell phone recycling?
There is no federal law, but laws are being implemented on the state and local levels. As of January 2008, only three states and one county have cell phone recycling laws: California, Maine, New York, and Westchester County, New York. INFORM has a fact sheet on cell phone recycling laws in the U.S. and Europe.
What provisions make an effective cell phone recycling law?
- Ban on disposal of cell phones in the ordinary waste stream, due to hazardous materials contained in these products, with penalties for violations;
- No-cost consumer returns to encourage greater participation;
- Retailer or producer take-back of products that have been or are being sold;
- Set performance standards and targets for collection and recycling;
- Reporting requirements for collection amounts;
- Consumer education about new laws and take-back programs from retailers or manufacturers required;
- Sales ban and other penalties for retailers or producers that do not comply with the law;
- Use of best available techniques to protect worker health and the environment, encourage participation in treatment operations with certified environmental management systems; and,
- Design improvements encouraged to phase out the use of hazardous materials and to enhance the reuse and recycling of products.
What can our federal government do to stop the dumping in the developing world?
The U.S. Congress can ratify the Basel Convention and the Basel Ban Amendment to end the dumping. The Basel Convention is a global environmental treaty adopted in response to concerns about escalating shipments of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries. The Basel Ban Amendment goes further, which prohibits hazardous waste exports from the most industrialized countries that are part of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to all non-OECD countries. The Basel Convention aims to reduce the generation of hazardous wastes and to minimize their shipment to the developing world. A primary goal is the “environmentally sound management” of hazardous wastes to protect human health and the environment. The Convention contains lists of wastes that are hazardous and establishes controls on their shipment. Among the wastes defined as hazardous are circuit boards containing lead-based solder used in most cell phones.
Are there European laws that address discarded cell phones and rechargeable batteries?
Yes. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive entered into force on February 13, 2003, requiring EU member states to develop individual legislation based on its terms by August 13, 2004. The Directive includes cell phones as part of the electronic equipment that it covers. Cell phone manufacturers must finance collection and recycling of discarded cell phones. Related to the WEEE Directive, the Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, in effect as of July 1, 2006, sets maximum concentration values by weight of each homogeneous material for lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers contained in the listed electrical and electronic equipment. The EU Battery Directive entered into force on September 26, 2006, and member states must transpose this Directive into national law by September 26, 2008. Battery manufacturers and makers of equipment that include batteries must finance collection and recycling of discarded batteries.