Posts Tagged ‘michigan’
Michigan could create jobs with increased recycling
November 14th, 2009 | 
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Electronic Waste Takeback Program
On December 29, 2008, Part 173, Electronics, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), became effective and established a manufacturer electronic device takeback program promoting electronic waste recycling. The manufacturer electronic device takeback program applies to computers and T.V.s recycled by households and small businesses (those employing 10 employees or fewer). It requires all manufacturers selling new computers and televisions in Michigan to register with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and pay an annual registration fee of $3,000 by October 30, 2009. After April 1, 2010, all retailers, including internet, catalog, manufacturer direct, and in-state retailers, can only sell new computers and televisions manufactured by registered manufacturers.
The manufacturer registration required under Part 173 must include specific details on the manufacturer’s e-waste takeback program. The takeback program must be free and convenient for consumers. Manufacturers are required to establish and maintain a website and to otherwise inform consumers about how to recycle the covered equipment. Computer manufacturers are only required to take back devices they manufacture, whereas television manufacturers are required to take back all television brands, regardless of the manufacturer. Annually manufacturers must submit information on the total weight of the covered electronic devices collected by the takeback program, the processes and methods used to recycle or reuse the covered electronic devices, and the identity of any collector or recycler with whom the manufacturer contracts for the collection and recycling of covered electronic devices received from consumers.
Recyclers of covered electronic equipment must also register with the DEQ by October 30, 2009, and pay an annual fee of $2,000. Recyclers must certify that they are recycling in a manner that complies with federal and state laws, including rules promulgated by the DEQ, and local ordinances, and they must employ industry-accepted procedures for the destruction of data. Recyclers must maintain a documented environmental, health, and safety management system that may be audited and is compliant with or equivalent to ISO 14001. Recyclers must also annually report the total weight of covered electronic devices recycled during the previous year and maintain records identifying all persons to whom the recycler provided electronic devices or materials for further processing.
The DEQ is currently working on implementing the newly created law. Updated information and forms will be posted on this page as they become available.
Link:
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_4130_18096-208087–,00.html
Computer electronics recycling legislation
Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 1:37 p.m.
LANSING, MI. — The following is a message from the Michigan Senate:
The Michigan Senate today approved legislation that will establish a manufacturer-driven program to increase the recycling of consumer computer electronics without a charge on consumers. Both measures, sponsored by Sens. Patty Birkholz and Valde Garcia, were sent to the governor to be signed into law.
“E-waste recycling is an important program because it allows state residents to properly handle old computer equipment free of charge,” said Birkholz, R-Saugatuck Township. “By recycling these items, consumers can help reduce the amount of hazardous materials being placed in our landfills.”
Senate Bill 897, sponsored by Garcia, and SB 898, sponsored by Birkholz, will require manufacturers of consumer computer electronics to implement a take-back program for the free return of computers and video display devices that they produce. To participate, a manufacturer must first register with the state.
Part of the Senate Republican “Green Michigan Initiative,” the legislation will:
- Outline registration guidelines for manufacturers who opt to be in the program;
- Establish requirements for the electronics take-back program;
- Develop an Electronic Waste Advisory Council;
- Create the Electronics Waste Recycling Fund.
To read the entire article, please follow this link:
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=237258
Business, School, Agency, Institutions and Other Regulated Generators of Electronic Waste
| Agency: Environmental Quality |
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Non-residential generators of electronic waste must determine whether or not their waste is hazardous. They must also determine the amount of all hazardous waste they generate within one month. The U.S. EPA and the State of California have tested electronic products and many have failed the standard test for toxicity called the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure. Rather than sending waste to be tested, many generators find it more economical to manage their electronic waste as hazardous due to the lead, mercury, and other materials in them. In Michigan, the DEQ has promulgated rules allowing common electronic products containing circuit boards and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) (containing leaded glass) to be managed as universal waste. Universal waste is more easily recycled than hazardous waste.
Notification requirements: For businesses handling 11,000 pounds or more of electronics and all other universal waste, notify as a large quantity universal waste handler when handling 11,000 pounds or more and obtain a site identification number. Notifications may be done by applying online through MiTAPS or by mailing in the form EQP5150. There is a $50 application fee. To check if a site identification number has already been assigned to a collection site, go to the Waste Data System and select advanced search. It is recommended to search using the street number in the address field and zip code in the postal code field. If you need assistance looking up a number or filling out the application, call the Environmetnal Assistance Center at 800-662-9278. The following Michigan regulatory guidance documents contain specific information about electronic waste.
Managing electronic waste can be as simple as remembering the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle … REDUCE Buying Environmentally Friendly IT equipment: The United States Environmental Protection Agency sponsored a new purchasing program for buying more environmentally friendly IT equipment. Called the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool or EPEAT (www.epeat.net, “EPEAT is a procurement tool to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products.” REUSE If donating your electronics or selling for reuse, keep in mind that all data should be properly removed (this means more than deleting your files) and the quicker you move the equipment on, the more valuable it is to the next owner. Do the “PC” Thing: Donate Computers-for consumers. This 2006 publication describes how consumers can safely donate their computers, some common reuse organizations and resources for deleting data from hard drives. Do the “PC” Thing: Donate Computers-for companies. This 2006 publication describes how companies can safety donate their computers, some common reuse organizations and resources for deleting data from hard drives. eBay Rethink. On this site you can find information, tools and solutions that make it easy – and even profitable – to find new users for idle computers and electronics, and responsibly recycle unwanted products. “Wireless: The New Recyclable.” This site is sponsored by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. It contains information about industry sponsored collection programs and guidelines for the collection and transportation of wireless devices among other resources. RECYCLE CHOOSING A RECYCLER: Currently there is no state or federal certification program for electronic waste recyclers. Recycling could mean anything from collecting electronics for refurbishment to dismantling materials and processing into commodities. Following are some documents that could help you find out about services provided by recycling companies that will fit your needs and ensure that your waste electronics are handled properly. Michigan Recycled Materials Market Directory. This on-line directory contains lists of recycling companies ranging from drums and barrels to tires and electronics. Electronics Recyclers Listed in the Michigan Recycled Materials Market Directory US EPA Responsible Recycling Practices published October 30, 2008. This publication is a set of guidelines for accredited certification programs to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices. Since January 2006, EPA has facilitated a multi-stakeholder group to develop this document. U.S. EPA approved CRT recycling exporters. This website contains the list of U.S EPA approved exporters of CRTs destined for recycling per the CRT rule. Federal Electronics Challenge, Checklist for the Selection of Electronics Reuse and Recycling Services. This checklist includes questions you may want to ask a recycler prior to contracting with them. You will want to know some basic information when securing an electronics recycler, regardless of size of your operation. The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) is a voluntary program that encourages government agencies to manage electronics waste in an environmentally responsible way. FEC has put together this checklist to assist in selecting an electronics recycler that best fits your needs. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Publications:
Georgia guideline for choosing an electronics recycler . Two documents are linked that can help you choose an electronics recycler: “Guidelines for Auditing E-scrap Vendors” and “What You Should Know About Your E-scrap Vendor” BUSINESS-SPONSORED COMPUTER RECOVERY PROGRAMS: Following are links to manufacturer sponsored takeback and computer recycling programs. Ask your computer supplier, distributor or brand owner to find out if a takeback program is available. |
Link:
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_4130_18096-148778–,00.html
Electronics Reuse and Recycling
| Contact: Lucy Doroshko 517-373-1322 |
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Computers, cell phones, printers and other peripherals are part of the business and educational landscape of our society. We rely on them daily to communicate, educate and conduct business. What happens to these tools when we replace them with newer, faster models? Donating is becoming a common practice for extending the life of working electronics but eventually they will no longer be valuable as products. What do we do with these obsolete electronics as well as our broken televisions, radios, and stereos? DELETE THE DATA: Before donating or recycling your old computer or other electronic device, make sure that the data in it is completely deleted. Reformatting the hard drive or deleting files may not be enough. You need to completely destroy the data on your hard drive. The U.S. EPA has two fact sheets developed in 2006 that provide information about donating and a list of free software you can use to delete information from your computer. See “Do the PC Thing …” under “How to Donate” at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin/pcthing.htm IS IT HAZARDOUS? Many electronics contain hazardous materials such as lead in solder, cadmium in circuit boards and mercury in batteries. Most older computer display screens and televisions contain cathode ray tubes (CRT’s). CRT’s contain leaded glass to protect the user from the x-rays inside the tubes. Lead is a hazardous material that can cause environmental and health damage if not managed safely. Lead in CRT’s cause computers to be considered hazardous waste when disposed by regulated generators in Michigan. Residents are exempt from hazardous waste regulations. Regulated or not, Michigan residents are concerned that their old computer will end up in their local landfill or municipal solid waste incinerator with the potential of leaching or emitting lead and other heavy metals into the water or air. This has caused many communities in Michigan and around the country to hold electronic waste collection events where materials are gathered for shipment to recyclers who dismantle, sort and recycle the various glass, plastic and metal components. There is still much we do not know about what is actually hazardous in all of our electronic tools and toys. Click “back” to find information to help you manage your used electronics, whether you are a business generating regulated hazardous waste or a resident with a used computer or cell phone. Link: http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_4130_18096-43363–,00.html |
