Legislation
that would promote R&D programs to improve electronic equipment recycling
and reduce the use of hazardous materials in electronics passed the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee Dec. 10. The Electronic Device Recycling
Research and Development Act aims to provide research grants to address
hazardous e-waste.
Many
electronic devices contain hazardous substances such as lead and cadmium, which
can seep into soil and water and shouldn't be dumped into landfills. The Environmental
Protection Agency reports that Americans generated 2.9 tons of e-waste in 2006.
The volume of e-waste is expected to increase in the coming years as more
Americans get rid of their old televisions in the wake of the transition to
digital television.
According
to the EPA, only about 15 percent of discarded electronic devices in the United
States are recycled.
"Technology
continues to advance, but our ways of disposing of electronic equipment haven't
kept up," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, co-sponsor of the bill with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand,
said in a statement. "Many states, including Minnesota,
are leading the way on recycling electronic equipment, but we need a national
solution to ensure that all unwanted electronics are discarded in a safe and
responsible manner."
Gillibrand
added, "For too long, too many people have been improperly dumping
electronic devices without being aware of the dangerous effects on our
environment. This legislation is a win-win for protecting the environment and
our families. It takes the right steps to develop the best methods to change
the way we dispose of outdated and unused electronics, and the hazardous
materials they often contain."
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