Electronics recycling law is first in U.S. to bill manufacturers.In January, Maine became the first U.S. state A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States, although four states use the official title "commonwealth". The separate state governments and the federal government share sovereignty, in that an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and to bill manufacturers directly for the cost of recycling used televisions and computer monitors. Under the new law, producers must shoulder the cost of sending these electronics to recycling centers where toxic materials such as lead and mercury are removed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While a handful of states have "e-waste" laws, Maine's is the first to put the recycling burden on manufacturers rather than consumers. In California, for instance, buyers of TVs or computer monitors must pay an upfront fee for disposal. Though Maine consumers are still charged for dropping off used electronics at collection centers, the fee for TVs and monitors is now only $2 per item, down from $15-$20. The state has approved five consolidators, which will gather and sort the equipment for recycling and then bill manufacturers according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the amount of waste each contributes. Disposal costs for "orphan" units, those made by manufacturers that are no longer in business, will be shared by the other companies in proportion to their overall costs. The aim of the law is to keep toxic materials from being released into the environment from incinerators or landfills. TVs and older computer monitors each contain 1.8-3.6 kilograms of lead, as well as toxic materials like mercury, cadmium, lithium, and PVC PVC: see polyvinyl chloride. PVC in full polyvinyl chloride Synthetic resin, an organic polymer made by treating vinyl chloride monomers with a peroxide. plastic, according to Maine's Natural Resources Council. When incinerated, these materials can release heavy metals heavy metals, n.pl metallic compounds, such as aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel. Exposure to these metals has been linked to immune, kidney, and neurotic disorders. and carcinogenic carcinogenic having a capacity for carcinogenesis. dioxins into the air, causing possible damage to human nervous and reproductive systems. The law is also intended to encourage manufacturers to use fewer toxic ingredients in their products to begin with, and to develop items that are more easily recycled. E-waste is one of the fastest-growing categories of solid waste in the United States. Electronic products now account for about 70 percent of toxic heavy metals found in landfills, according to Californians Against Waste Californians Against Waste is an American environmental advocacy organization that takes action on local, state and national levels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution through the expansion of a recycling economy. The organization is headquartered in Sacramento, CA. . Washington state passed strong e-waste recycling legislation in March, and several other U.S. cities and states are also considering new e-waste laws. But the country remains well behind the European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community , Japan, and even China, which have all adopted such laws at the national level. |
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