Beyond Waste home > Navigate to a plan section > Recommendation MRW4 — Develop an electronics product stewardship infrastructure

Recommendation MRW 4 — Develop a more comprehensive list of covered electronics through a product stewardship infrastructure.

Representatives from local government, Ecology, and environmental organizations should continue to work with the electronics industry on a comprehensive product stewardship system for electronic products. It is also essential to build awareness of the hazards inherent in electronic products and wastes. The E-Cycle Washington program of manufacturer responsibility for computers, laptops, monitors, and televisions, is a tremendous first step. However, the existing system could add many more electronic products to provide needed collection and recovery of materials. This will further reduce the need for government to provide end-of-life management of these products. This also will create new businesses and jobs. As it expands, the electronics infrastructure needs to include:

• Accessible and effective take-back systems for electronic products.
• Electronics recycling that does not harm human health or the environment.
• Product re-design to eliminate hazardous components, ease disassembly and recycling, and lengthen life span.

Milestone MRW D: The scope of electronic products covered by the existing producer-provided program expands beyond the current four categories (TVs, computers, computer monitors, and laptops).

Links and Resources

• E-Cycle Washington
• EPA's Electronic Product Stewardship (Exit Ecology)

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