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Tag Archives: regulation/oversight

Nation’s capital considers tweaks to its EPR program

Published: October 19, 2022
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Sign for the Government of the District of Columbia

The bill would expand OEMs’ requirements for providing public outreach and awareness, change deadlines for manufacturers to submit stewardship registration applications, and more. | DCStockPhotography/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. leaders next week will hold a hearing on legislation making various changes to the district’s extended producer responsibility program for electronics.

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Pollution issues threaten Glencore smelter in Canada

Published: October 12, 2022
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Glencore's Horne smelter aerial view.

Glencore’s Horne smelter is facing public concerns over air pollution. | Courtesy of Glencore

The top government official in Quebec suggested public concerns over air pollution could lead the province to close Glencore’s Horne smelting site, a key downstream for North America’s e-scrap.

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Hawaii updates electronics EPR bill

Published: September 15, 2022
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Hawaii's state capitol building.

Hawaiian legislators passed an update to the state’s electronics EPR program, making manufacturer recycling targets weight-based instead of calculated by market share. | Jeff Whyte/Shutterstock

Hawaii had to suspend free e-scrap collection in the state earlier this year after the program ran out of funds early, but the state legislature has passed a law to address the problem. 

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EU seeks comments on device sustainability

Published: September 15, 2022
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EU flags in front of the European Commission's building.

Draft European regulations propose that mobile devices should include scratch resistance, protection from dust and water, resistance to accidental drops, battery longevity and the capacity to be disassembled and repaired. | ETgohome/Shutterstock

The European Commission is requesting feedback on draft regulations for designing mobile phones and tablets to be more environmentally friendly, including the issue of recyclability. 

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Brazil fines Apple, bans sale of phones without chargers

Published: September 15, 2022
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Apple's iPhone12 mini.

Apple plans to appeal a Brazillian Justice Ministry’s decision to fine the company for not including power chargers with iPhones sold in the country. | dan.nikonov/Shutterstock

In response to Apple’s decision not to include chargers with newly purchased phones by default, Brazil again fined the company and then banned the sale of iPhones if they do not include a power adapter.

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Interpol reports link between organized crime, pollution crime

Published: September 1, 2022
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Interpol logo on phone, resting on a keyboard.

Interpol researchers aimed to discover whether organized pollution crime is a global or localized phenomenon. | Poetra.RH/Shutterstock

A report from Interpol aimed to fill in gaps in knowledge on the link between pollution crime and organized crime, digging into 27 pollution crime case studies that averaged profits of $19.6 million per case for those involved, including electronics falsely labeled as ready for resale. 

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Trucking company to pay $1.36 million in hazardous waste case

Published: August 4, 2022
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Old Dominion Freight Line truck parked in a garage.

Old Dominion will pay over $1.3M for improper disposal of electronic devices, batteries and other hazardous materials. | Andriy Blokhin/Shutterstock

Old Dominion Freight Line has settled a case with the state of California over allegations that the company failed to properly manage and dispose of hazardous waste, including e-scrap.

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Call2Recycle: Federal action on battery labeling is step forward

Published: July 28, 2022
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Battery with recycling instructions.

New battery recycling guidelines are in development by the U.S. EPA. | Courtesy of Call2Recycle

Congress directed the U.S. EPA to develop voluntary battery recycling labeling guidelines instead of mandatory regulations, but the head of an industry group believes they’ll still have a significant impact on the industry.

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Rage rooms hit with hazardous materials fines

Published: July 28, 2022
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Hammer in a CRT television screen.

An official with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control said the department is too understaffed to conduct inspections of all rage rooms to ensure they are not breaking toxic items. | correct pictures/Shutterstock

In at least two instances, California authorities have brought the hammer down on rage room operators for allowing patrons to destroy electronics and release toxic metals into the air.

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South Carolina e-scrap overhaul signed into law 

Published: July 14, 2022
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South Carolina capitol building with gardens.

E-scrap collection in South Carolina is set to undergo some major modifications. | Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

South Carolina’s e-scrap program will be seeing significant changes in the coming year after the governor signed House Bill 4775 into law.  Continue Reading