The U.S. House of Represenatives' Science and Technology Committee held a hearing today to discuss and review the current management of e-waste in the United States. This hearing was only a starting point to discuss possible federal e-waste legislation aimed at improving recycling programs for e-waste and developing products with fewer toxins.

Representatives from HP and Sony discussed their current recycling programs, including a representative from HP saying that it makes more sense for manufacturers to pay recycling fees when referencing the high costs to recycling. Even with their programs in place, it was noted that only 15% of HP electronics were recycled last year. In the US, less than 20% of discarded electronics are recycled according to the U.S. EPA. In California, that number is a little higher. Currently, 13 states have created recycling programs, including California.

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What You Can Do

• Learn more about California's e-waste law and other states e-waste laws.
• Find a place to properly dispose of your unwanted electronics.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg signed the e-waste recycling bill today, the first city in the nation to establish an e-waste recycling program. The new law will require electronics manufacturers (covering computers, monitors and TVs) to create a collection program for their products from City consumers. The law also bans e-waste from disposal into the City's solid waste stream.

Read the press release

What You Can Do

• Learn more about California's e-waste policy.

The U.S. Postal Service started a test program yesterday to help get people to recycle their small unwanted electronics. The program offers free envelopes for customers to mail consumer electronics such as cell phones, digital cameras, portable music players and inkjet cartridges for free. These envelopes are sent to a recycling center run by Clover Technology's Group in California for recycling or re-manufacture.

The pilot program has been launched in 10 areas across the country in 1,500 post offices, including the Los Angeles and San Diego area. If the plan is successful, the program could become national as soon as this fall.

Read the USPS press release.

What You Can Do

• Find a place near you to recycle all your unwanted electronics.
• Learn more about California's e-waste problem.

The New York City Council yesterday recalled the e-waste legislation they passed last month and has replaced it with two new bills. The change comes after Mayor Bloomberg threatened to veto the first bill. The two bills split up the first bill with one requiring electronics manufacturers to collect and recycling their used and unwanted products and the other focusing on mandatory collection goals to be met. The latter was what the Mayor was mostly opposed to that led to the splitting of the original bill. So instead of having the entire bill be vetoed, the City Council split up the bill and still hopes to be the first city in the country with an e-waste recycling bill.

Read a New York Times article.

What You Can Do

• Learn more about California's e-waste legislation.
• Find a place to recycling your unwanted electronics.