As the demands of the technological age require the abundant manufacturing and use (often short-lived) of more and more electronic devices, electronic waste has come to constitute a dangerous and growing problem in Colorado. It is a problem with ready solutions – in fact, 23 other states have adopted e-waste legislation. HB 1244 builds on what we know about what works in other states and allows Colorado to safely and responsibly address its e-waste while creating much needed jobs in the electronic waste industry.

E-waste – the Problem

• In 2008 alone, Colorado produced more than 50,000 tons of electronic waste and only 8,000 tons (a mere 16%) were recycled.*
  
  
• Electronic devices contain large amounts of toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury, as well as other contaminants, meaning a staggering amount of toxins are currently entering our landfills each year or being released into the atmosphere during the disposal process, threatening Colorado’s air, water and land.
  
  
• In fact, despite only amounting to two percent of our trash by volume, discarded electronics account for a shockingly disproportionate 70 percent of the heavy metals in our landfills.
  
  
• The electronic waste that does not end up in our landfills is often shipped overseas, where the absence of protective regulations and unsafe processing techniques endanger the health and safety of workers, including children in some cases.

HB 11-1244, e-waste recycling, and job creation – the Solutions

• HB11-1244 is a manufacturer responsibility law requiring manufacturers of specified electronic goods to implement plans for the collection and recycling of their products at the end of their use cycle.
  
  
• Requiring at least a stated minimum of e-waste recycling would create jobs here in Colorado. For every 10,000 tons of electronic waste, on average 213 jobs are created. That means if all of Colorado’s 2008 e-waste total was recycled, a potential 894 jobs could be generated by HB-11-1244.**
  
  
• In addition to jobs in the recycling industry, the bill promises opportunities for small businesses and stimulates the development of green technologies and products that are easier to reuse and recycle.
  
  
• The bill takes significant steps to prevent contamination of our air, water and land, as well as to assure citizens that their electronic waste is recycled in a safe and responsible manner – and shifts some of the cost for recycling from the consumer to the product manufacturers.
  
  
• 23 other states, recognizing the problems associated with e-waste and the benefits of e-waste recycling, have banned electronic wastes in landfills and enacted manufacturer responsibility laws.

It’s time for Colorado to proactively deal with its electronic waste – and recycling is the answer!

For more information contact: Randy Moorman, CEC, 303-405-6706, randy@ourcolorado.org, Annmarie Jensen, Jensen Public Affairs, 720-999-4765, or Marjorie Griek, Colorado Association for Recycling, 303-975-6975.

*  Sadie Babits, “Tracking E-waste,” Colorado Public Radio, December 16, 2010.
**  Study by Neil Seldman and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

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