State legislation passed the Covered Device Recycling Act (Act 108) in 2010, implementing a disposal ban effective January 24, 2013, stating that desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals, televisions, and any components of such devices may no longer be disposed in Pennsylvania with municipal waste. All of these devices are required to be properly recycled. Beginning in January 2012, the law required manufacturers to pay for the costs of electronics recycling to avoid Pennsylvania consumers bearing that cost.
What Went Wrong?
Act 108 is an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law. EPR laws are designed to shift financial and management responsibility upstream to the manufacturer and away from the public sector. Unfortunately, Act 108 has produced a number of unintended consequences that threaten to undermine the very purpose the act hoped to serve:
The demand for electronics recycling has far outpaced the capacity of existing disposal outlets and has exceeded the amount of recycled material that manufacturers are required to recycle by law.
Manufacturer recycling requirements decrease every
year because the sales weight of newer electronics decreases.
Most of the electronics recycling stream is comprised of older, heavier units
that enable manufacturers to quickly meet their established weight-based
recycling goals, after which they typically suspend their recycling efforts for
the remainder of the year.
Declining commodity markets have discouraged recyclers from pursuing electronics recycling contracts.
As a result, many residents throughout the state, including Northampton County, do not have access to recycling outlets for all of the electronics covered by the law.
Northampton County is first and foremost attempting to address the lack of electronics recycling opportunities Pennsylvania's electronics recycling law has created. Televisions are the most difficult and most expensive of the electronics to recycle. This is why it is so hard to find a place to recycle them. In an effort to reduce line waits and travel shorter distances, the County has established a reimbursable funding program for municipalities to host a municipal-only event to their residents. All municipalities are encouraged to host an event in order to provide proper, safe and convenient recycling for electronic waste.
Municipalities: can contact Responsible Recycling Services (RRS), GER Solutions or Clean Earth®, among others, to assist in a collection event.
Residents & Businesses: Local drop-off locations and pickup services include: Fees apply
• Clean Earth® (formerly AERC)
• DRC Technologies
• GER Solutions offers curbside pickup to residents and businesses, contact for pricing and availability.
• Responsible Recycling Services offers mobile pickup to businesses, contact for pricing and availability.
• You can also contact a junk removal or haul-out company for labor/removal.
Computer & Accessories Disposal Locations
Television & Audio Disposal Locations
Where to Donate or Recycle Electronics (EPA: Programs developed by Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge participants)
Don't forget:
Erase the data on your computer and mobile phone before recycling. Many companies will not do this for you, which could put your personal information at risk.
Northampton County does not use general fund tax dollars for its Recycling & Waste program expenses. Those using the programs are required to pay fees where they apply.