Illinois legislators have unanimously passed a bill that, if signed into law, would count leaded CRT glass stored at a designated landfill cell toward manufacturer recycling goals.
After passing the House in April by a vote of 114-0, the Illinois Senate on Tuesday passed the measure 53-0. The bill now needs Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature to become law.
Under Illinois’ electronics recycling program, manufacturers are required to collect and recycle select electronic devices, including CRT TVs and monitors. While the Illinois EPA typically determines what counts as recycling (and what counts as disposal), numerous solid waste agencies in the state pushed lawmakers early this year to weigh in on the storage idea and offer up legislation.
The resulting legislation, House Bill 1455, gained numerous Democratic and Republican sponsors as it made its way to Gov. Rauner’s desk. Kuusakoski U.S., the American wing of Finland-based Kuusakoski Recycling, could stand to gain the most from the measure’s passage.
Implications for Kuusakoski
Through a partnership with Peoria Disposal Company (PDC), Kuusakoski has announced plans to use the storage approach as an alternative to current CRT glass recycling outlets. The company, which has been using CRT glass as alternative daily cover (ADC) at a PDC landfill, has defended the approach and stated glass will be retrievable for future recovery.
While the Illinois EPA views the method as recycling under the state electronics recycling program, the bill that made its way through the Illinois General Assembly makes that determination law.
Rich Hipp, Kuusakoski’s president and CEO, told E-Scrap News the company will stop its ADC operation and start storing glass “if and when the governor of Illinois signs HB 1455 into law.”
“We will ask PDC to stop using treated CRT glass as alternate daily cover at its Indian Creek Landfill, and start managing the glass in a retrievable storage cell at its site so that Illinois residents, as well as our customers, can begin benefiting from this new law,” Hipp said in a statement sent to E-Scrap News.
Review by e-Stewards
Kuusakoski has also identified e-Stewards’ support as key for its storage operation.
Leaders of the e-scrap environmental certification and other stakeholders with ties to it are currently reviewing the storage idea and its compliance with the standard. If it is found to be an acceptable recycling option, e-Stewards members currently restricted to sending glass to Kuusakoski only as a “last resort” would be able to ship glass to the operation more freely.
Sarah Westervelt, e-Stewards’ policy director, explained a working group continues to evaluate the option but has not yet made a decision on the matter.
“The CRT Working Group continues its exploration of the proposal and the complex issues arising from it, and is completing additional research,” Westervelt stated. “Thus, it has not yet made its recommendation to the Leadership Council.”