Relates to the reporting of electronic waste collection and recycling data, the sale of electronic waste and the carry-forward of sales of electronic waste

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the reporting of electronic waste collection and recycling data, the sale of electronic waste and the carry-forward of sales of electronic waste

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would establish a statewide recycling goal for electronic waste( E-waste) starting in 2017 and ease the municipal burden of dealing with E-waste by raising the manufacturer's acceptance standard of E-waste and sets deadlines and requirements for that purpose.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 establishes the statewide recycling or reuse goal for E-waste as the base weight of the product multiplied by the goal attainment percentage. "Base weight" is defined at the greater of either the average weight of all the E-waste collected during the three calendar years preceding the most recent report, or the three year average of the sum of all E-waste collected in the three calendar years preceding to the most recent report.

Section 2 establishes the deadlines for which the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) must publish the recycling goal for the following year and the deadline for which the DEC must notify manufacturers of the new manufacturer acceptance standard.

Section 3 establishes the deadline for which manufacturers must certify to the DEC that the manufacturer has entered into contractual agreements for one hundred percent of the weight of e-waste associated with their respective manufacturer's acceptance standard.

Section 4 states E-waste collectors, consolidators, or recyclers may bank unsold electronic waste for sale in the subsequent 4 years after the waste is obtained, provided that no more than twenty-five percent of the E-waste is sold in any such subsequent year.

Section 5 states the effective date.

Justification

E-waste collection and recycling data is reported to the DEC on March 1 of the concurrent calendar year in which the DEC determines the allocation of the manufacturer acceptance standard. Because of this, the DEC is not able to calculate this standard until the third quarter of the subject year.

Many manufacturing representatives and collective organizations wait until the fourth quarter to purchase collected pounds of electronic waste. Recyclers are then often pressured to sell pounds of recycled electronics at a discount or risk not receiving any revenue.

By using the average of the previous years' recycling data, the DEC is able to publish the manufacturer's accepted standard before the start of the subject calendar year. Manufacturers are then able to certify that they have entered into contractual agreements for their E-waste earlier in the subject calendar year.

Allowing collectors, consolidators, and recyclers to carry forward some of their E-waste into subsequent years matches the flexibility granted to manufacturers and creates a balance between purchasers and sellers.

Prior legislative history

This is new legislation.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.