Creating Jobs and Combating E-waste
July 24, 2013
Dear Friend,
Yesterday I joined my colleague from Texas, Gene Green in introducing H.R. 2791, the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act (RERA) of 2013. This bipartisan legislation promotes the U.S. recycling industry by prohibiting the exportation of some electronics whose improper disposal may create environmental, health, or national security risks.
This helps bring recycling jobs back to the U.S. According to a recent study by the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling, restrictions on e-waste exports could create up to 42,000 new direct and indirect jobs with a total payroll of more than $1 billion. While there are domestic recyclers that currently process e-waste, they have a hard time competing with overseas recycling facilities that have few, if any, labor and environmental standards and are thus able to offer cheaper services. A U.S. International Trade Committee (ITC) report also states the RERA will help increase U.S. exports and create jobs.
In addition to creating American jobs, this bill also addresses a growing environmental problem. Discarded computers, TVs, phones and other consumer electronics - commonly referred to as electronic waste or “e-waste” - now comprise the fastest growing waste stream in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the U.S. generates more than 3.4 million tons of e-waste a year.
Each year, this e-waste is discarded in the U.S. and shipped to developing nations for unsafe salvage and recovery. By carefully regulating the export of e-waste, our bipartisan legislation will create good-paying recycling jobs here in the U.S., while taking concrete steps to address a growing environmental and health crisis.
Our bill also creates a new section in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) that prohibits the export of “restricted electronic waste” from the U.S. to countries that are not members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or the European Union (EU). Restricted electronic equipment refers to any equipment that contains specific toxic materials at levels greater than those deemed non- hazardous by the EPA.
In 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that many of the developing nations that receive e-waste from the United States do not have the capacity or facilities to safely recycle and dispose of these used electronics.
Under the legislation, tested and working equipment can still be exported to promote reuse. Products could also still be exported for warranty repair or due to recall. However, consumer electronic equipment, parts, and materials that contain toxic chemicals could not be exported to nations outside of OECD member countries or the E.U. This legislative approach is consistent with the e-waste policies adopted by most other developed nations via international treaties, such as the Basel Convention and Basel Ban Amendment.
The bill also creates a research program at the Department of Energy to help assess the recycling and recovery of Rare Earth Metals from electronics. This provision will help ensure the proper collection and recycling of precious and strategic metals.
The legislation is broadly supported by the electronics industry, including official backing from Hewlett Packard, Dell, Apple, Samsung, and Best Buy. It is also widely supported by the recycling industry, including the Coalition For American Electronics Recyclers, which includes more than 100 companies operating more than 185 processing facilities in 34 states; and the environmental community, including the Electronic TakeBack Coalition (ETBC) and the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
I will continue working to pass this bill so we can create more jobs here at home and tackle a growing environmental problem.
Sincerely,
MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
Yesterday I joined my colleague from Texas, Gene Green in introducing H.R. 2791, the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act (RERA) of 2013. This bipartisan legislation promotes the U.S. recycling industry by prohibiting the exportation of some electronics whose improper disposal may create environmental, health, or national security risks.
This helps bring recycling jobs back to the U.S. According to a recent study by the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling, restrictions on e-waste exports could create up to 42,000 new direct and indirect jobs with a total payroll of more than $1 billion. While there are domestic recyclers that currently process e-waste, they have a hard time competing with overseas recycling facilities that have few, if any, labor and environmental standards and are thus able to offer cheaper services. A U.S. International Trade Committee (ITC) report also states the RERA will help increase U.S. exports and create jobs.
In addition to creating American jobs, this bill also addresses a growing environmental problem. Discarded computers, TVs, phones and other consumer electronics - commonly referred to as electronic waste or “e-waste” - now comprise the fastest growing waste stream in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the U.S. generates more than 3.4 million tons of e-waste a year.
Each year, this e-waste is discarded in the U.S. and shipped to developing nations for unsafe salvage and recovery. By carefully regulating the export of e-waste, our bipartisan legislation will create good-paying recycling jobs here in the U.S., while taking concrete steps to address a growing environmental and health crisis.
Our bill also creates a new section in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) that prohibits the export of “restricted electronic waste” from the U.S. to countries that are not members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or the European Union (EU). Restricted electronic equipment refers to any equipment that contains specific toxic materials at levels greater than those deemed non- hazardous by the EPA.
In 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that many of the developing nations that receive e-waste from the United States do not have the capacity or facilities to safely recycle and dispose of these used electronics.
Under the legislation, tested and working equipment can still be exported to promote reuse. Products could also still be exported for warranty repair or due to recall. However, consumer electronic equipment, parts, and materials that contain toxic chemicals could not be exported to nations outside of OECD member countries or the E.U. This legislative approach is consistent with the e-waste policies adopted by most other developed nations via international treaties, such as the Basel Convention and Basel Ban Amendment.
The bill also creates a research program at the Department of Energy to help assess the recycling and recovery of Rare Earth Metals from electronics. This provision will help ensure the proper collection and recycling of precious and strategic metals.
The legislation is broadly supported by the electronics industry, including official backing from Hewlett Packard, Dell, Apple, Samsung, and Best Buy. It is also widely supported by the recycling industry, including the Coalition For American Electronics Recyclers, which includes more than 100 companies operating more than 185 processing facilities in 34 states; and the environmental community, including the Electronic TakeBack Coalition (ETBC) and the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
I will continue working to pass this bill so we can create more jobs here at home and tackle a growing environmental problem.
Sincerely,
MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress