For more than one and a half years the Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC) has been developing the E-Scrap Action Program (ESAP). ESAP is a project that targets electronics waste (e-scrap) as a major priority for waste management in the state of Indiana, because this waste stream can be hazardous to the environment and costly to manage.
The initial phase of the E-Scrap Action Program brought together key stakeholders from across the state to discuss issues of concern and solutions for the future of e-scrap in Indiana. Stakeholders represented solid waste districts, cities and towns, state associations (such as the Association of Indiana Solid Waste Districts, and the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns), private sector generators (such as Eli Lilly, Subaru, Chrysler, and Raytheon), state governments (Environmental Management, Commerce, and Administration), federal government (EPA), universities (such as Indiana University, Ball State and Purdue), representatives of the solid waste industry (Waste Management and Republic Services), private sector electronics recyclers, reuse organizations and others.
This successful one-year process resulted in a series of recommendations from the multi-stakeholder group. The recommendations present ways in which the state can address the issue of e-scrap from policy, regulatory, legislative and educational perspectives. These recommendations are interrelated and the intent is that they will be considered as a comprehensive “package” and not individually. The recommendations fall into six interrelated areas:
> Public education
> Funding mechanisms
> Landfill/incinerator disposal ban
> Prison partnership
> Procurement
> Asset management
The full text of the recommendations can be downloaded here.
The Association of Indiana Solid Waste Management Districts and the Indiana Household Hazardous Waste Task Force have both endorsed the recommendations.
After a year and a half of research and multi-stakeholder meetings, the Indiana Recycling Coalition is proud to announce completion of the E-Scrap Action Program Toolkit. The toolkit contains all the information and resources compiled during the E-Scrap Action Program, and provides an unprecedented amount of information on e-scrap issues including:
> the hazardous nature of e-scrap,
> where and how to reuse and recycle e-scrap in Indiana,
> state and federal laws and regulations applicable to e-scrap management,
> how to set up one-day and permanent e-scrap collection events,
> how to find a responsible e-scrap recycler or reuse organization,
> how to manage electronics within a business,
> the challenges of e-scrap export and tools for avoiding them,
> the cradle to grave liability for e-scrap generators and how to reduce liabilities,
> data security concerns regarding e-scrap management,
> what other states are doing with e-scrap policy, regulation and legislation,
> how to purchase "greener" electronic devices,
> and much, much more!
To read or download the toolkit, click here.
Program Partners
This project made possible through financial support from:
Solid Waste District Partners:
East Central Indiana and St. Joseph, Lake, LaPorte, Monroe, Bartholomew, Vanderburgh, Johnson, Randolph, and Dubois Counties