On October 18, 2006 NERIC released its study titled "A Study of the State-by-State E-Waste Patchwork."
As a step towards understanding the effects of multiple states enacting differing, independent electronics recycling systems, the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) developed this study under the NERIC initiative. This study attempts to identify and quantify the existing and potential effect of the ever-expanding patchwork of state-level requirements. This study does not address the inherent benefits or drawbacks of any of the mandatory approaches, only the effect of the patchwork on different stakeholders. The study encompasses all 4 mandatory state programs enacted by state legislatures to date and assumes additional programs are enacted during the next few years.
Executive Summary
The evolving patchwork of differing state-level electronics recycling mandates results in several quantifiable costs to public and private sector entities that would not exist with the introduction of a national electronics recycling program. Drawing from cost estimates provided by principal public and private sector entities in state electronics recycling programs, this study identifies and quantifies estimates of these “dead weight” costs with the following results:
· Recurring dead weight of 4 existing state-legislated programs: $25 million/year
· Average one-time dead weight costs per state: $2.9 million
· Recurring dead weight potential with 20 differing state programs: $125 million/year
Please submit comments, questions and suggestions on this effort to info@ecyclingresource.org.
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