E-Waste

Objective

Develop an industry consensus on the creation of a uniform national approach to the management of E-waste.

Summary of the Issue

E-waste describes the refuse created by discarded electronic devices and components, as well as the substances involved in their manufacture or use. The National Safety Council estimates that almost 100 million computers and monitors become obsolete annually. The Gartner Group estimates that in 2006, 153.9 million personal computers will be replaced. Cell phones have a life of cycle of the less than two years in industrialized countries and an estimated 130 million mobile phones were disposed of worldwide in 2005, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Many of end-of-life electronics contain valuable elements such as gold, silver, and platinum. E-waste can also contain potentially harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. For example, traditional cathode ray tube computer monitors contain about 20% lead by weight. The EPA estimates that only about 10% of all obsolete consumer electronics are recycled. The rest are stored, passed on to second users, or simply tossed in the trash. The EPA's most recent estimate is that more than two million tons of e-waste end up in U.S. landfills each year.

The European Union (EU) has taken steps to regulate E-waste. For example, on July 1, 2006, the EU directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) went into effect for most EU countries. The directive seeks to increase the re-use, recycling and recovery of these products.

The U.S. Congress and the EPA are studying the issue. In the meantime, California, Maine, Maryland, and Washington have passed E-Waste laws and several other states are debating the topic. The industry is concerned that without a uniform national approach to E-waste, manufacturers and retailers will be forced to comply with 50 different state E-waste programs. Consequently, many companies now agree that these goods should be recycled, but industry has not yet formulated a unified policy position. The main disagreement centers on how these efforts should be funded.

U.S. Chamber Strategy

• Create a working group to develop an industry consensus and Chamber policy on E-waste.
• Draft legislative and regulatory language that creates a uniform national approach to the management of E-Waste and urge adoption of that language by Congress and the EPA.

Staff Contact Information

Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs Division
(202) 463-5533
environment@uschamber.com