E-waste Law to Take Effect in Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania residents won't be able to throw their electronic devices into the trash starting on Jan. 24 as a new law prohibiting the action will go into effect, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said.

The Pennsylvania Covered Device Recycling Act, passed in 2010, prohibits consumers and businesses from disposing of computers, laptops, computer monitors, televisions, tablets and all other covered devices with their trash. Trash haulers will no longer take them unless the municipality develops a curbside electronics recycling program, according to the department.

"This law is an important step toward further reducing the amount of waste disposed in our landfills," said Mike Krancer, DEP secretary, in a statement. "There will be a host of positive impacts from this law, such as deriving economic benefits from precious metals found in electronics, eliminating heavy metals in the environment and encouraging environmental stewardship."

The new law will also impact electronics manufacturers. Manufacturers of the covered devices must encourage e-waste recycling by providing mail-back programs and permanent collection programs for consumers and by working with electronics recyclers to ensure the e-waste is handled and processed properly.

Manufacturers must also register their covered device brands with DEP and attach brand labels to the devices, according to the press release. Retailers can no longer carry covered electronics without brand labels.

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