[greenyes] Update from Computer TakeBack Campaign

["David Wood" <david@no.address>]

Greetings folks. The coordinated push for state level e-waste producer
responsibility legislation continues in several states, with advocates
racing against the legislative clock. We've been too busy with the
details that no one has stepped back and communicated progress over the
past couple of weeks.
 
Maine - 
The Natural Resources Committee in the Maine Legislature recommended an
e-waste bill out of committee as ought-to-pass by a 9-3 vote. The
original bill proposed a temporary ARF to pay the costs of recycling TVs
and orphan computer monitors from the point of consolidation from 1/1/06
- 1/1/12 and that computer monitor manufacturers accept individual
responsibility for their own products beginning 1/1/06, the date Maine's
disposal ban goes into effect. The Committee felt that the ARF would
prove burdensome to the state and amended the bill into a producer
responsibility model beginning 1/1/06.  The amended bill has strong
bipartisan support. The bill was supported by the environmental
community, local government, and HP. IBM and several television
manufacturers provided the bulk of the opposition.
     The amended bill holds the manufacturers responsible for the
recycling of their own products plus a pro rata share of orphans from
receipt at consolidation; municipalities are responsible for ensuring
residents CRTs get to consolidation.  The Governor publicly stated that
he wants an e-waste bill this session.
 
Minnesota - 
The Senate Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget
Committee last week passed Sen. Higgin's proposed legislation requiring
manufacturers responsibility for CRTs and video display devices. MN's
disposal ban goes into effect in 2005. Sen. Higgin's bill tracks the
language of the bill promoted by Rep. Ray Cox (R-Northfield) in the
Assembly. Final language is likely to be worked out in an end-of-session
omnibus bill. As in Maine, the bill has bi-partisan support, is being
pushed by a coalition of local governments, recyclers, enviros with the
active support of HP. Dell submitted a letter indicating their support
for the bill, while IBM and several television manufacturers have been
actively opposing the measures.
 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island
            Producer responsibility bills are also still pending in MA
(HR4535) and RI (H7527).
 
Additionally, procurement legislation has been offered in Vermont, and a
handful of e-waste related bills are still active in NY. Stay tuned for
more updates as legislative sessions wind up for the year. 
 
Finally, the Computer TakeBack Campaign has made available an analysis
of the shortcomings of ARF-only systems, indicating potentially billions
of dollars of revenue shortfalls that could fall on taxpayers. Check out
the new "Poison PCs, Toxic TVs" report, released in February at the last
NEPSI meeting, at www.computertakeback.com
<http://www.computertakeback.com/> . 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
David Wood
Executive Director, GrassRoots Recycling Network
Organizing Director, Computer TakeBack Campaign
210 N. Bassett St., Suite 200
Madison  WI  53703
608-255-4800, ext. 100
608-347-7043 (cell)
david@no.address