Connecticut Launches E-Waste Recycling Program

Connecticut will join other states in launching a statewide electronics recycling program in the fall, according to a report in the Hartford Courant.

Connecticut’s state legislature approved the necessary regulations to establish the program with the Department of Environmental Protection on Saturday. The regulations establish collection points throughout the state, which will help recycle potentially hazardous materials such as mercury and leaded glass. Consumers will be able to recycle old televisions, computers, printers, and monitors among other devices. The state has been considering the program since 2007.

The cost of the new program will be paid for by manufacturers, according to the paper, which will be billed by the companies responsible for hauling and transporting the waste. The new program applies only to consumer electronics, and will not apply to business e-waste recycling efforts.

Connecticut joins the ranks of other states that have already established e-recycling programs. Environmental Leader reported that New York passed an electronics recycling law last month, and Oregon now requires manufacturers to either establish their own recycling programs or pay their share of a public initiative. Meanwhile, legislation seeking to standardize e-waste recycling efforts is currently pending in the U.S. Senate.