HR 2284, the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act (and its Senate counterpart, S1270), introduced into the US House of Representatives in June 2011, would prohibit the export from the United States of certain electronic wastes, beginning twenty four months after enactment. The bill restricts the export of electronics containing certain toxic chemicals to developing countries. Used, non-working electronic equipment that would be covered under this definition includes computers, CPUs, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, e-book readers, computer accessories (such as speakers, webcams, servers, monitors), TVs and portable TVs, DVD players and portable DVD players, TV peripheral devices (such as video game systems, game controllers, signal converter boxes, cable and satellite receivers), digital cameras and projectors, telephones, cellular phones, wireless Internet communication devices, networking devices, and portable GPS devices, among others. By eighteen months after enactment, procedures shall be developed and promulgated for identifying other electronics to add to the list of covered electronic equipment and for identifying additional restricted toxic materials. The bill would still allow exports of tested and working parts and products, as well as products or components under warranty, exported by the manufacturers for warranty repairs, and products subject to recalls. For more information visit theElectronics Take Back Campaign website.
Both bills are supported by the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling (CAER), a group of U.S. companies that believe electronics recycling should be performed securely and sustainably, for the benefit of the American economy, which have come together with the sole purpose of passing the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act.