France has begun requiring manufacturers to label their electronic products with a repairability score. | S.Dashkevych/Shutterstock
France has started requiring electronics OEMs to calculate and disclose repairability scores to consumers, and officials in Malaysia raise concerns about recent e-scrap importation in that country.
Bills that mandate OEMs to release information and tools to ease electronics refurbishment have been introduced in legislatures across the country, but most of the proposals have struggled to gain traction.
Electronics manufacturers are proposing a nationwide point-of-sale fee to fund recycling of CRT devices, an industry group announced last week.
The debate over the merits and pitfalls of e-scrap exporting has been alive and well for decades now, but one thing has remained clear: Choosing to ship material halfway around the world adds a thick layer of complication to the basic goal of managing the domestic e-scrap stream.
One morning not too long ago, I began previewing my schedule for the day ahead and remembered that I had an appointment for a root canal. I actually felt a sense of relief that for a few hours I would have a break from the challenges facing our industry.
The Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA) is just the latest attempt to enact unnecessary legislation to restrict the export of used electronic products.
Note: This op-ed originally appeared on Adam Minter’s blog, Shanghai Scrap
