Transcript A Presentation and Dialogue with the

Introduction
A presentation and dialogue with the Northwest Product Stewardship Council
on Product Stewardship & Electronics
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Introductions
Agenda review
NWPSC mission and definition of product
stewardship
Relevance to upcoming legislation
OPEN FORUM
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Audience concerns and major issues with
electronics
What information will be helpful to get
from workshop
How are electronics currently handled in
individual jurisdictions?
TOXICITY
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Toxic substances in electronics
Toxicity in all phases of product life
Production – mining and manufacturing
Use – off-gassing of flame retardants
Recycling and disassembly – potential for
worker exposure and toxic releases
Disposal – lead, copper, mercury, etc.
REGULATIONS
Federal and State Hazardous/Dangerous Waste Regulations
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Definition and responsibilities of Dangerous
Waste Generators
Landfill owner or operator liability
Enforcement
CRTs designate as Dangerous Waste
Ecology’s Interim Enforcement Policy on CRTs
Generators pay
REGULATIONS
Local Rules and Regulations
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Local governments may choose to regulates
Small Quantity Generator and/or Household
Hazardous Wastes (SQG or HHW)
Examples of local regulations
Disposal ban issues – need for alternative
solutions
Local governments and rate/tax payers pay
OPEN FORUM
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Questions about toxicity and regulations
and how they are applied
Cost issues – who pays and how much?
The Case for Product
Stewardship
Electronics Product Stewardship
Electronics
ProductGlobally
Stewardship
Manufactured
Product Stewardship – The Old Edition
Manufactured
Globally
Manufactured Globally
No economic
incentive for
manufacturers to
minimize environmental
Impacts.
Product Stewardship – The Old Edition
Disposed Locally
Disposed
Locally
GO DIRECTLY TO
LANDFILL.
DO NOT PASS GO.
Product Stewardship – The Old Edition
Disposed Locally
Disposed
Locally
Should local governments
and rate payers cover the
costs of handling
electronic wastes?
Product Stewardship – The Old Edition
Linear
Lifecycle
The Linear Lifecycle of Consumer Goods
The New Edition
Create Economic Incentives
Create economic
incentives for
manufacturers to
redesign products to make
them “greener.”
Closed Loop Lifecycle
The Closed Loop Lifecycle of Consumer Goods
Japanese Model
JAPANESE MODEL
Mandated Responsibility
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Manufacturers set front-end fees for
end-of-life management
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Retailers collect fees
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Manufacturers compete to lower fees
Fees cover orphan & historic waste
Consumers return products to
retailers or municipalities
Manufacturers and recyclers are
financially linked
Old/New Editions
 Local
governments
manage product
end-of-life.
 Rate payers and
local government
cover product
end-of-life costs.
 Manufacturers
responsible for
product take-back.
 Costs of product
end-of-life are
included in price.
Old/New Editions
 No incentives to
alter current
design.
 Continuing toxic
legacy.
 Incentives to
redesign products
to make them
“greener.”
 Upstream thinking.
PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP DISCUSSION
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Discussion of product stewardship principles
Financing issues – who pays
Design driver opportunities
WHAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS CAN DO
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Locally managing electronics using product
stewardship principles
The case against government-funded collection
programs
Facilitating partnerships
Helping organize events or activities
Education
Recycler’s pledges and environmental reviews of
vendors
End-of-life or back-end fees
Green purchasing and procurement specifications
OPEN FORUM
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Discussion of program options
Considerations and opportunities specific
to Eastern Washington governments
Leveraging existing programs and contacts
in other areas
STATE AND NATIONAL ACTIVITIES
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NEPSI dialogues
2002 California legislation & Governor’s veto
Potential 2003 legislation in Washington
NWPSC – key issues
Legislations in other states
NGO model legislation
OPEN FORUM
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Questions about state and national
activities
Participant perspectives on state
legislation
Closing comments
FINANCE ISSUES
Funding Mechanisms
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General Tax Base/Garbage Fees
End-of-Life Fees:
Advanced Fee (visible)
Advanced Fee (internalized)
Themes
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Rate payer vs. consumer
Retailer vs. manufacturer
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Cost-internalization
Design incentives
What do funds cover?
Collection, transportation,
recycling
Base level of service/collection
Orphan & historic waste
Other Discussion Points
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Where do funds originate?
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Where does the money go?
Are manufacturers individually or
collectively responsible via TPO?
RETAILER ISSUES
• Existing relationships with haulers, not recyclers
• Resistant to visible recycling fee at point-of-sale
Considerations
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Latecomers to dialogue
Not expert on regulations
Not attuned to environmental
ethics and product stewardship
Opportunities
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Consumer location of choice for
recycling
Front-line contact with
consumers on product
stewardship
Clout with manufacturers
Already deal with electronic
waste
RETAILER ISSUES
Barriers
Advantages
Small Retailers
• Lack of space
• Lack of clout with recyclers
• Can’t absorb dumping costs
Large Retailers
• Marketing controlled by corporate
• Focus on high-volume sales
• Not set up to handle e-waste
• Not set up to handle trade-in
programs
Small Retailers
• More likely to accept trade-ins
• Repair/re-market used goods
• Localized marketing/promotions
• Direct commitment from owners
Large Retailers
• Large advertising budgets
• Clout with manufacturers
• Foot traffic and in-store ads
• Recycling as customer service
• Can track recycling programs
• Pickup/recycling option with
product delivery
MANUFACTURER ISSUES
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Today’s electronics designed to be cheap & disposable
Manufacturers still recommend donation as a solution.
Considerations
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Only manufacturers can provide
green design, and pre-paid
recycling fees.
Current programs are unwieldy
mail-back versions.
Manufacturers like government
solutions.
Profit motive is preeminent.
Opportunities
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Early involvement in product
stewardship dialogue.
Understand product
stewardship concepts.
Familiarity with regulations.
Relationships with retailers and
corporate customers.
MANUFACTURER ISSUES
Barriers
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Design for the environment is not
cheap.
Narrow profit margins
Don’t want to fund legacy piles
Want to keep product stewardship
costs low via gov’t involvement.
Don’t want to pay for collection or
transportation of e-waste
Don’t want to set precedents that
will affect other consumer
electronics.
Advantages
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Can work with retailers on co-op
advertising and promotions.
Heighten positive public image.
Public/private partnerships.
Design for the environment to
lower recycling & materials costs.
Support product stewardship now
to avoid future legislation.
RECYCLER ISSUES
Considerations
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Expense has discouraged
investment in e-waste recycling
without ample volume.
Recyclers don’t necessarily
promote product stewardship.
Recyclers should be audited and
certified.
Need viable business plan to
ensure profitability.
Opportunities
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Recycler interest has peaked
with new regulation and
legislation.
Have already participated in
some e-waste pilot programs.
RECYCLER ISSUES
Barriers
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Legislation/regulation not universal
Speculative, risky endeavor
High start-up costs
Haz-waste regulation compliance
High transportation costs
Need to invest in new equipment
as technology changes
Little recycling input in design
decisions made by manufacturers
Disassembly “schematic” not easily
attainable from manufacturers
Advantages
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Growth industry driven by new
regulations and legislation
Pre-paid fees will guarantee
revenues
Potential contracts with large
retailers and corporate customers
Government incentives
Synergy with waste hauling
interests and customer bases
Potential for future clout to drive
electronics design decisions
RECYCLING PROGRAMS
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Charitable Donation
Charities
Schools
Senior Citizen or Low-Income
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Transfer Stations & Landfills
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Best Buy, Minnesota “Plug Into
Recycling,” Tacoma/Pierce County
electronics recycling events
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Manufacturer Mail-Back
Dell, Gateway, IBM, HP
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Retail Trade-In
CompUSA, Staples
Reuse & Recycling Networks
Computer Recovery Project, Take It
Back Network
Arlington Transfer Station
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Special Recycling Events
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Retail Collection
RE-PC
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Collection Boxes at Retail
Green Disk, RBRC, Verizon & AT&T
REGULATING E-WASTE
Hazardous chemical for disposal
e.g. Pesticide, solvent, toxic metal, CRT
From Business
Institution
From Household
LARGE QUANTITY
GENERATOR =
SMALL QUANTITY
GENERATOR
More than 220 lb./mo. or per batch
(approx. 7 CRTs)
Less than 220 lb./mo.
or per batch
Requires
special disposal
as Dangerous Waste
May be
disposed in Municipal
Solid Waste…
Monitors conditionally exempt If
legitimately recycled
(Interim Policy)
…UNLESS local rules prohibit
Disposal of SQGW
or HHW