Environmental Regulations
Environmental regulations related to e-waste are dynamic, inconsistent, and a challenge to understand. There are federal laws that apply to hazardous waste generated by large businesses and institutions, state laws, and international rules to consider. In order to ensure Cascade is in compliance with this patchwork of legislation, we conduct annual compliance audits of our company and facilities. As a result, we exhaustively research the latest related requirements to demonstrate that Cascade is in compliance with these laws.
It is important to note that there is no such thing as a computer recycling company being "EPA Certified." Some companies claim this designation, but the EPA does not certify any electronics recycler, nor do they even have a standard that companies can be certified to. Sometimes, these firms may just have an "EPA ID Number" which is merely a registration number that identifies the company to their state and federal regulators. This does not indicate the company is responsible in any way.
To determine if a company is responsible, you need to do your own due diligence. See if they have been independently certified to a recognizable industry standard, such as ISO 14001 or the e-Stewards program. Better yet, visit them yourself. Cascade welcomes visits and audits of its facilities.
Current and Proposed Legislation related to Takeback
As of June, 2009, 18 states have passed e-scrap legislation. Most of these laws target the collection of computers and televisions from households, but do little to impact how businesses are required to dispose of their waste and pay for this disposal. Larger institutions have been regulated since the 1970s relating to the disposal of hazardous waste, which includes most e-waste.
The Electronics Takeback Coalition maintains an up-to-date listing of current and proposed legislation related to e-waste. Feel free to contact them or Cascade to help understand how these regulations apply to you.
United States Federal Legislation
There have been several bills introduced on the federal level in recent years. But without a broad consensus for how to assign responsibility for funding a collection and processing system, and with the increase in state activity, Congress has been reluctant to put any priority on this issue. It is doubtful there will be any significant movement on federal e-scrap legislation until at least 2009.
The following web sites provide information on current regulatory requirement under US RCRA law as well as information on pending legislation.
International Legislation
With more and more companies operating on a multinational basis, it’s important to be aware of laws in different countries, as well as legislation related to the export and import of used electronics and scrap parts and commodities. Many countries have restrictions on what types of electronic equipment and scrap can be traded.
- Basel Convention limits the export and import of hazardous wastes (including much of the used electronics and e-scrap disposed by businesses) among countries, with the goal of stopping the flow of toxics from developed to developing countries. Also see the Basel Action Network for information on the problems with the transboundary shipment of e-waste.
- Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment: Canada regulates all waste on the provincial level, so look here for a resource to all provincial laws.
- Europe – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive: The WEEE Directive is the source of all European legislation on e-scrap.
- Raymond Communications Guide to International E-Scrap Laws: This 2007 report is comprehensive, and a summary is provided here. The full report is $425
