E-waste is a rather new phenomenon. There is no federal Regulation in place that formally addresses the issue of e-waste, although there have been bills introduced in Congress. However, several states that have passed laws with respect to e-waste. Even though most states have passed laws addressing e-waste, there are still more than 20 states without any legislation addressing e-waste. A large issue with e-waste is that many of the electronics, if not properly disposed of, could potentially cause hazards if left in landfills where they would emit, lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and other toxins in soil and possibly water streams. This guide will focus on three states New York, California and Minnesota, with laws in place addressing e-waste. Each of these states takes a different approach in addressing e-waste. New York has passed regulation that is largely producer responsibility; California has more of a consumer-based regulation that is an advanced recycling fee model; and Minnesota’s regulation is also Producer Responsibility but currently only covers video display devices. As technology continues to grow and products become obsolete at an advancing pace, so does the need for laws to be in place to address the issue of e-waste.
