Plan to Forge E-Waste Bill Stalls With Resignation of Key Proponent

Date: May 7, 2008

Source: News Room

A bipartisan plan to forge a national policy for electronic waste that would require EPA to ban land-disposal of the waste has stalled after its chief proponent, Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD), resigned his chairmanship of a key House environmental subcommittee last month. The plan as detailed in a concept paper had already drawn criticism from EPA, states, industry and environmental groups. It now appears that it will take a year or more for an e-waste bill to pass Congress.

A number of states have enacted their own programs for dealing with e-waste. The e-waste plan was meant to meld the disjointed patchwork of state measures into a consistent federal program. The concept paper calls for amending the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act to include a subtitle to cover e-waste, advocates banning land disposal of e-waste, seeks EPA oversight for minimum standards for state programs and requires greater notification and consent for the export of e-waste to foreign ports.

A copy of the concept paper is available here: www.wastebusinessjournal.com/news/E-Recycling%20Concept%20Paper.pdf">Concept Paper.