New Bill Proposed to Increase Electronic Waste Recycling in Minnesota

Athena Hollins, a St. Paul, Minn. Democratic representative, is taking on changing how the state handles electronic waste with an update to a 2007 law.

Minnesota passed an electronic waste law in 2007 that handles televisions, computers and fax machines. However, as the electronic market has expanded, the state reports that it only recycles an estimated 20% of its electronic waste.

Hollins calls the law “terribly outdated,” and her new bill aims to collect 100% of electronic waste in Minnesota. Her bill would expand the definition of electronic waste to include all electronically powered products.

The bill would also add a 3.2% fee for most electronics sold in Minnesota, which would make recycling electronics free for all state residents and businesses. Cell phones would only have a 90-cent fee instead of the proposed 3.2% fee. Currently, residents in Minnesota pay around $25 to recycle a microwave. Residents would only pay about $6 extra with the newly proposed fee.

Read the full article here.