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Tag Archives: regulation/oversight

Oregon sends broad right-to-repair bill to governor

Published: March 7, 2024
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SB 1596 excludes motor vehicles, off-road vehicles, farming equipment, medical devices, HVAC systems, solar panels or solar energy storage systems, video game consoles, electrical energy storage systems or electric toothbrushes. | bobpool/Shutterstock

A bill to ensure that consumers have the right to repair most electronics and appliances is on its way to the desk of Oregon’s governor.

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Repair groups call on regulators to draft rules

Published: December 13, 2023
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Exterior of the FTC building in Washington, D.C.

Multiple groups are calling for the Federal Trade Commission to set a national right-to-repair standard. | Mark Van Scyoc/Shutterstock

Advocates for electronics repair last month delivered a petition asking the Federal Trade Commission to craft rules to prohibit manufacturers from restricting repair of their products. Continue Reading

Right-to-repair disputes crystallize in FTC comments

Published: February 8, 2024
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The Federal Trade Commission received more than 1,000 comments supporting or opposing a recent petition calling for federal right-to-repair rules. | Yekatseryna Netuk/Shutterstock

Whether they were small repair business owners, industry associations or passionate individuals, hundreds of commenters on a recent right-to-repair petition to the Federal Trade Commission broadly agreed that consumers ought to have more options for fixing their devices and using them longer.  Continue Reading

EPA to label PV panels, lithium-ions as universal waste

Published: November 15, 2023
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Closeup on a solar panel.

Officials at EPA hope that a clear standard for handling photovoltaic panels will increase the rate at which they are collected and processed. | Heinz Trebuth/Shutterstock

In response to electric power industry requests, the EPA is looking to classify solar panels as universal waste. The agency is also working to create a category of universal waste specifically for lithium-ion batteries.  Continue Reading

California legislators send right-to-repair bill to governor

Published: September 18, 2023
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Supporters of SB 244 pose in front of a pile of laptops and other devices during a rally. | Andy Smith, Courtesy of CALPIRG

California’s right-to-repair bill for electronics awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, and supporters are lauding the years of work it took to get to this point.  Continue Reading

HP supports California right-to-repair bill

Published: September 13, 2023
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HP

Computing giant HP has joined the ranks of companies such as Apple in supporting California consumers’ right to fix their own devices. | BalkansCat/Shutterstock

California’s right-to-repair bill is drawing more high-profile backing, with HP becoming the latest OEM to publicly endorse it.  Continue Reading

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Biden-Harris admin pushes US sustainable procurement

Published: August 9, 2023
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A federal purchasing rule handed down last week directs agencies to buy sustainable products and avoid those that contain PFAS. | Petrmalinak/Shutterstock

The federal government has announced plans to further prioritize American-made sustainable products and services in its purchasing, including recycled content. Continue Reading

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E-scrap exports discussed at US Senate hearing

Published: July 26, 2023
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Opinions on potentially restricting e-scrap exports varied, with some arguing such a move would hinder sales and others arguing it would bolster domestic job creation. | Katherine Welles/Shutterstock

In a wide-ranging hearing on electronics recycling and reuse, several U.S. senators heard discussion about how export restrictions affect U.S. industry.  Continue Reading

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Lawmakers put another $2M into Wisconsin CRT cleanup

Published: July 12, 2023
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LCD tubes recovered from 5R’s Ladysmith, Wisc. facility. | Courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

At his current rate, the former CEO of 5R Processors will fully pay off his $2 million in court-ordered e-scrap abandonment restitution in roughly 1,200 years. Knowing that, Wisconsin lawmakers just approved allocating another $2 million in public funds to clean up the mess. Continue Reading

Oregon E-Cycles update signed into law

Published: June 28, 2023
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The bill in Oregon will greatly expand the list of covered items, bringing VCRs and other products into the fold. | Charles Knowles/Shutterstock

This story has been updated.

Oregon lawmakers passed – and the governor signed – legislation that will add devices to the state’s electronics recycling program and also alter the framework through which manufacturers fulfill their collection obligations. Continue Reading