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America's Policies vs. Other Places' Policies

America and most of Europe are behind a good part of Asia in regards to their legislation on eCycling. America is quite divided in policies on the matter. Federally, nothing has been taken up for eCycling officially. Mike Thompson proposed the National Computer Recycling Act on January 26, 2005, but it was never enacted. Its primary purpose was “to establish a grant and fee program through the Environmental Protection Agency to encourage and promote the recycling of used computers and to promote the development of a national infrastructure for the recycling of used computers, and for other purposes.” However, it was completely dropped by 2006. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 has been a bit more successful in that it was adopted. The RCR Act objectives are “to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner.” However, this does not focus towards eCycling and it tends to be a bit left out.

One American state is a bit more forward in progress than the rest of the country. Arkansas has enacted a policy called Arkansas Computer and Electronic Solid Waste Management Act. This act (enacted in 2001) requires all State agencies to participate in the program and each must provide an agency-wide policy for the management and sale of Agency surplus computer equipment and electronics and a plan for the sale of such equipment. So far it seems to be the only state to have adopted this sort of policy.

Europe is a bit more ahead of us Americans. After all, Switzerland was the first to take up an electronic waste recycling system in 1991. The European Union adopted a similar system in February 2003 (though it was a bit slow to be taken up) under the Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Directive. However, recycling old corporate computer hardware and associated electronic equipment falls outside the Producer Compliance Scheme. In the UK, waste/obsolete corporate related computer hardware is treated through third party Authorized Treatment Facilities, who normally impose a charge for its collection and treatment. This means that less people are willing to recycle their old equipment and just dump them at the first chance.

Asia seems to be the most advanced in their set policies. Japanese sellers and manufacturers of certain electronic equipment are required to recycle them. However, there is no policy saying they have to recycle computers or cell phones. South Korea and Taiwan have policies stating that sellers and manufacturers of electronic equipment are responsible for recycling 75% of their used products. However, there is a counterbalance to all this. It is estimated that India (along with several other countries) could produce 500% more e-waste by the end of this decade. So, while Asia is very ahead policy-wise, there is still quite bit more that could be done.