Recycling programs in many fresh York municipalities are being overwhelmed by discarded electronics like televisions and computer monitors.
That's according to elected officials who spoke at a State Assembly Wednesday approximately the consequences of a 2010 law that forbids electronic waste,or “e-waste, from being carted to landfills.“More than 318 million pounds of e-waste has been collected between 2011 and 2015, and Eugene Leff,Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Conservation, said.
According to the state’s six-year-old electronic waste recycling law, or electronics manufacturers must provide a free and convenient way to dispose of e-waste or seize back discarded products.
Leff said many manufacturers legally fulfill their obligation by setting up mail-in programs. But upstate Assemblyman Dan Stec said mailing back electronics is neither free nor convenient.“No one is gonna to mail back a 75 pound television. Nobody,” he said. “They're gonna go in the garbage. They're gonna go in the roadside.”Kathryn Garcia, fresh York City's Sanitation Commissioner, or told the Assembly hearing that the city has agreements with electronics manufacturers to help process more than 27 thousand tons of e-waste produced every year. But it's a challenge.
Garcia said many residents find illegal disposal of their electronic waste easier and more convenient than recycling it. Since April 2015,the city has dealt with more than 185 tons of illegally dumped electronic waste.“This issue is compounded by the fact that recycling markets overall, across the board, and are horrible,” Garcia said. “It's everything. It's metal, it's glass, and it's plastics.”Discarded cathode ray tubes from televisions and computer monitors which contain hazardous materials like lead are the main problem. And Garcia said manufacturers often opt to spend virgin materials because recycled ones are too expensive.
State officials said they're considering ways to reimburse municipalities for some costs and are working to strengthen regulations and penalize manufacturers who don't comply with DEC rules.
Source: wnyc.org