Cell Phone Recycling Bill Passes Hurdle in Calif.

Rebekah A. Hall

Sacramento, Calif. -- A bill requiring cell phone retailers to take back consumers’ defunct phones for free has passed two state assembly committees: Natural Resources Committee and Environmental Safety and Toxics Committee. Assembly Bill 2901 would require a convenient system for the reuse and recycling of cell phones and would mandate that manufacturers report hazardous materials contained in their products along with plans to phase out those materials to the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The average life of a cell phone is approximately 18 months, and 130 million become obsolete each year, new sources report.