E-Waste Recycling Access Improves with New York EPR Law – Report

Access to electronic waste recycling has increased for rural residents in New York following the passage of the state’s e-waste recycling law, according to a new report.

The study by the Boston-based Product Stewardship Institute Inc. (PSI) reports that 40 percent of the waste and recycling facility managers interviewed noted an increase in the number of electronics collection sites in their communities since the state’s Electronic Equipment Reuse and Recycling Act took effect about one and a half years ago, according to a PSI news release.

Sixty-give percent of those managers reported decreased out-of-pocket fees for residents. Residents had been charged fees of up to$10 per unit for participating in their communities' voluntary recycling programs.

 "These results show that, with a well-designed program supported by manufacturers, rural districts can experience nearly the same level of recycling service as their urban and suburban counterparts," said PSI CEO Scott Cassel.

The New York extended producer responsibility (EPR) law requires electronics manufacturers fund and develop infrastructure for the recovery and recycling of used electronics throughout the state. This includes ensuring that there is at least one collection site in every county and population center of more than 10,000 residents.