New York City Reaches E-waste Compromise

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council have reached a compromise on e-waste recycling legislation that was expected to make its way to the state Court of Appeals after a veto from the mayor was overridden by the City Council. The mayor openly disagreed with the minimum recycling percentages in the original bill that placed collection responsibility on electronics manufacturers.

The old bill will be split into two new ones. One bill would still mandate collection efforts from manufacturers, who would have to create a recycling plan and submit it for the city’s approval. However, the recycling requirements for manufacturers will appear in a separate bill, which is still expected to go through the veto and appeal process of the original bill, according to the mayor’s office.

“My Administration and the Council share the same goal of ensuring that thousands of tons of electronic waste are recycled instead of thrown into landfills, and we largely agree on how to achieve it,” Bloomberg says. “We are separating the issue into two bills so we can move forward on the broad areas where we have reached consensus, instead of letting our differences stop all progress. This is the best solution for our City and our environment.”