Greetings,
Let’s talk again about the concerning, overarching deregulation bill, House Bill 765. Already passed by the NC Senate and forthcoming for debate in the House, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2015 contains many damaging provisions, including one that repeals recycling requirements for e-waste.
The electronics recycling program (which easily passed the General Assembly in 2010 with bipartisan support) requires computer and television manufacturers to pay annual fees to offset the cost of recycling their products. These fees initiated a successful statewide program for recycling equipment, making it cheap and effective for consumers to dispose of e-waste. This bill eliminates these annual fees, placing the future of the program in jeopardy.
TV manufacturers currently pay North Carolina a $2,500 annual fee and must recycle a required number of televisions. Computer manufacturers initially pay $10,000 to $15,000 with annual fees ranging from $2,500 to $15,000. These numbers fluctuate depending upon on how many products the manufacturer recycles on their own.
Last year alone, North Carolina recycled 30 million pounds of electronic equipment, collecting recycling fees from manufactures of nearly $1 million. A complex yet effective system, the program created an electronics recycling industry employing over 400 people with at least $30 million in investments statewide. Industry leaders share concern over how changing the price structure and possible gridlock may effect the future affordability of recycling.
Eliminating fees from manufacturers will remove the backbone of the industry by shifting all financial responsibility to local and county governments, something they are not prepared to address. To maintain the program, they will be forced to divert money from other programs or charge the public to cover the new cost of recycling.
“We are very concerned about this,” Carolina Recycling Association Executive Director Diane Davis told The News & Observer. “The impact on local government could be just unreal.”
Why fix something that isn’t broken? Let’s reconsider this provision.
Peter Magner, Stanback Intern
NC League of Conservation Voters
The HotList is a weekly email the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) sends out during session where we talk about relevant legislation and share information on key environmental issues as they come before the General Assembly. While primarily intended for elected representatives, the HotList is also made public to any and all who are concerned about the environment.
