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Federal law focuses on UNICOR
If approved, a measure in Congress will affect how UNICOR (Washington), the federal prison industry corporation, operates. UNICOR runs a handful of e-scrap reclamation plants nationwide. A bill, which has passed the House Judiciary Committee, eliminates UNICOR's ability to demand that federal agencies purchase its inmate-made products and services. A number of businesses and trade associations have complained that UNICOR's sole-source arrangement takes away potential contracts from private firms. The inmate work program was forced to close 13 prison factories and cut 1,700 inmate jobs as a result of earlier legislation that eliminated UNICOR's sole-source contracts with the Department of Defense.
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From Scott Cassel, Product Stewardship Initiative listserve regarding the latest information on the California legislation on E-Scrap:
A number of you requested an update on the California electronics legislation, which is in a temporary holding pattern in the Assembly Appropriations Committee for the summer legislative break. In response to concerns raised by the consultant to the Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Byron Sher has promised to incorporate a number of amendments into his bill. If you click on the following, you will get the current bill (minus forthcoming amendments) and the bill status. http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_20&sess=CUR&house=B&site=sen
So far this summer, the bill made it out of the Senate and to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee along party lines. It is expected that the bill will be heard in the Appropriations Committee at the end of August and subsequently sent to the Assembly for a full floor vote.
The bill includes a small ARF to cover government costs to collect and transport used products to a consolidation point. Manufacturers would be required to internalize costs from the consolidation point through processing, but could do so by paying a fee to the state. It also requires manufacturers to develop plans for educating the public on e-waste recycling opportunities and to work with local governments to ensure efficient collection. The bill also provides significant penalties for manufacturers that are not in compliance with the proposed law.
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A posting from the National Waste Prevention Coalition
Link to information on the new GrassRoots Recycling Network campaign, "Who Put Goofy in Charge of Product Design?", opposing the Disney Corporation's new disposable DVDs. http://action.grrn.org/action/index.asp?step=2=5033 <http://action.grrn.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=5033 From this web page, people can write an e-mail to Disney CEO Michael Eisner, expressing concern about this product.
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Dell is offering the opportunity to recycle up to three items on-line for only 99 cents for a limited time. This is the information from the Dell website:
Recycle up to 3 items of select equipment, such as desktops, monitors, or notebooks for only 99 cents per unit! In addition, we will send you an online coupon for 10% off your next software & peripheral online purchase1 (excludes DellTM printer, DellTM projector, and DellTM AximTM handheld) to be redeemed on the Dell Home Systems Software & Peripherals website. We accept any brand of computer, keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, fax machine, scanner, speakers, etc.
How to recycle for 99 Cents:
Read the Terms and Conditions for participation in the Dell Recycling program.
2. Buy the recycling service(s) from the Dell Home Sytems web site. Note that in the checkout process the shipping address you provide is where the carrier will pick up your equipment.
3. Your discount will be reflected in your checkout cart. The 99 Cent offer applies to up to 3 units per order. (A unit is 50lbs or less. To estimate the weight of your items, see FAQs).One order per customer.
4. Within approximately 3-5 business days, you will receive an email with shipping instructions and an electronic promotional coupon code to redeem on the Dell Home Systems Software and Peripherals website. (Active email account needed to receive promotion online).
How to redeem your coupon:
Then, shop ONLINE and purchase eligible new software and peripheral item(s) at the Dell Home Systems Software and Peripherals website.
2. In the checkout process, place your online coupon code from the email where indicated. Click on Apply Coupon to see your discount reflected.
Take advantage of a limited time offer from Dell Computer to recycle up to three used computers (actually, 3 shipped units up to 50 lbs. per unit) for 99 cents each!! Check it out at http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/topics/segtopic_dell_recycling.htm
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From the Product Stewardship Institute listserve, forwarded by Janet Fox, Indiana Greening the Government Program:
Starting in October, residents of Japan will be able to drop-off obsolete computers for recycling at any one of 20,000 post offices nationwide or have postal carriers pick up the computer at home. Resource Recycling journal reports that Japan Post has linked up with an industry group representing 21 major computer producers, including Apple, Dell, Sony and Toshiba. The alliance represents about 95 per cent of the Japanese computer market. Japan Post will sort the computers by brand and send them to the appropriate recycling facility. Apparently, consumers can expect to see a collection fee added to the cost of new computers; perhaps US$37 - 46 per desktop unit and US$17 - 21 for a laptop. The action follows a new federal law mandating consumer computer recycling. An earlier law implemented in 2001 required computer producers to operate a recovery programme for business computers. For a link to the International Solid Waste Association and the original article, click on: http://www.iswa.org/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=61
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