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Product Stewardship Oregon E-Cycles is an example of product stewardship. Product stewardship means that all parties involved in designing, manufacturing, selling and using a product take responsibility for environmental impacts at every stage of that product's life. Here's how the responsibilities are shared under Oregon E-Cycles.

Product stewardship is a term used to describe a product-centered approach to environmental protection. It calls on those in the product life cycle -- from designers, manufacturers, retailers, consumers, waste managers and disposers -- to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products. Product stewardship activities have been taking place globally for over a decade. In the United States, this idea is gaining interest as more state and local governments cope with large, ever-changing, and complex waste streams.

This portion of the Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship & Compliance Assistance Center (FedCenter) web site provides resources related to the electronics stewardship program area. This program area addresses the life-cycle management of electronics from procurement to disposal. Links, documents, and case studies are provided for the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC), the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and Energy Star. Sections include: Regulations, Guidance, and Policy; Supporting Information and Tools; Lessons Learned; Training, Presentations, and Briefings; and Conferences and Events.

``The Washington bill is what other states wanted,'' said Scott Cassel, executive of the Product Stewardship Institute. Requiring manufacturers to cover the collection and recycling costs will encourage them to design greener products that are less toxic and easier to recycle, he said. ``Here is a state that took a careful, methodical and comprehensive approach and considered various options,'' Cassel said. ``Now state residents will have an electronics recycling system that will become the gold standard for the country.'' A wide and diverse group backed the bill, which also had bipartisan support. Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., Seattle electronics recycler Total Reclaim Inc., and retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Amazon.com supported the bill. But the bill was far from receiving unanimous backing from electronics manufacturers. The Electronic Industries Alliance communicated its concerns with Washington's legislation. The group, along with 18 of its member companies, such as Dell Inc., IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc., did not support the bill. The law does not implement a shared responsibility approach. But rather, it extends the manufacturers' responsibility to finance the end of the life of their products, according to the EIA's remarks to the Washington Legislature. Such a system is inefficient, the group said, and will result in increased costs for Washington consumers.

Product Stewardship is an environmental management strategy that means whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes responsibility for minimizing the product's environmental impact throughout all stages of the products' life cycle.

Collective concern from businesses, municipalities, environmentalists and manufacturers over the hazards of e-waste has led to a search for ways to reduce its environmental impact. With a greater need for programs that handle collection and disposal of used electronics products in a way that is safest for the environment, product stewardship is emerging as a viable and cost-efficient strategy for doing so, placing the responsibility for a product's proper disposal on the shoulders of the company that makes or sells the product, or even upon the purchaser. The concept can be applied to a range of products, from paints and prescription medication to batteries and computers. Written by Carl Smith, CEO of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, 7/22/09.

As industry groups file suit against a New York City e-waste recycling program, AT&T is ramping up its own wireless recycling initiatives, showing the divergent attitude that is emerging among sellers of electronic devices. AT&T estimates it will collect roughly 14 million wireless devices for recycling by the end of 2011, which will keep more than 920 tons of primary materials and more than 13 tons of toxic waste out of landfills. Post provides highlights of AT&T e-waste initiative, information on lawsuit filed in NYC, and information on the Electronics Stewardship Association of British Columbia (ESABC). ESABC is revising the Environmental Handling Fees (EHFs) charged on products which were regulated for the launch of the program August 1, 2007. Most charges will be lowered between 20 to 75 percent. These changes will become effective on August 1, 2009 and are directly related to computer, printer, monitor and TV purchases.

IT professionals have become good environmental and privacy stewards during the past 10 years -- on paper. Corporate policy now generally reflects the fundamental tenets of good electronics stewardship. Yet, how is it possible that a majority of e-waste still is being exported to developing countries, according to most estimates? Article by Robert Houghton (of Redemtech), GreenBiz.com, 6/18/09. Includes a list of five steps to follow for "responsibly recycling e-waste."

The Washington bill is what other states wanted,'' said Scott Cassel, executive of the Product Stewardship Institute. Requiring manufacturers to cover the collection and recycling costs will encourage them to design greener products that are less toxic and easier to recycle, he said. ``Here is a state that took a careful, methodical and comprehensive approach and considered various options,'' Cassel said. ``Now state residents will have an electronics recycling system that will become the gold standard for the country.'' A wide and diverse group backed the bill, which also had bipartisan support. Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., Seattle electronics recycler Total Reclaim Inc., and retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Amazon.com supported the bill. But the bill was far from receiving unanimous backing from electronics manufacturers. The Electronic Industries Alliance communicated its concerns with Washington's legislation. The group, along with 18 of its member companies, such as Dell Inc., IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc., did not support the bill. The law does not implement a shared responsibility approach. But rather, it extends the manufacturers' responsibility to finance the end of the life of their products, according to the EIA's remarks to the Washington Legislature. Such a system is inefficient, the group said, and will result in increased costs for Washington consumers.

Report for U.S. EPA Region 9; June 25, 2001

Regulations governing disposal of electronic waste can reduce the world's mountains of recycled devices, says Professor Erica Plambeck. She and her coauthor also find that by encouraging manufacturers to slow the rate of new product introductions, consumers are willing to pay more for devices now on the shelves.

A furniture refinishing company has launched a new electronics recycling program to deal with waste electronics generated by furniture remodeling projects. The Refinishing Touch is an Alpharetta, Ga., company that offers on-site furniture refinishing, re-upholstery and armoire modification services to hotel chains and the federal government. Recently the company has conducted armoire modifications for several hotel chains upgrading television sets in guest rooms from CRTs to HD flat panel displays. The company is launching the new program to deal with those discarded displays. The company will guarantee TVs accepted through the program are recycled in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and EPA industry standards as well as all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. The company also is in the process of gaining no-landfill certification for the program. Waste & Recycling News, 1/13/10.

RSS feed for INFORM, Inc. e-waste legislation news feed.

Industry groups filed a lawsuit on Friday to block New York City's new electronics recycling law from taking effect next Friday. The law, passed in March 2008 by the City Council and finalized in regulations that the Department of Sanitation issued in April, requires manufacturers to take back their electronics, and provide pick-up service for items weighing 15 pounds or more. Starting in 2010, consumers will face a $100 fine for throwing old computers, televisions and other gadgets into the trash. Manufacturers who fail to recycle merchandise returned to them could be fined for each violation. The lawsuit, which was jointly filed by the Consumer Electronics Association and the Information Technology Industry Council in United States District Court in Manhattan, challenges numerous aspects of the law and regulations. The suit argues, among other things, that the law would improperly affect products made before the law took effect, that the pick-up requirement would be overly burdensome, and that the law would force companies to collect products that they may not have made. The suit also raises constitutional issues, asserting that the City Council's action amounts to an illegal effort to regulate interstate commerce.

The emerging category of "green" electronics has captured consumers' attention in the past year. They are beginning to understand the various environmental and health impacts of the plethora of devices they interact with on a daily basis, according to research from the Natural Marketing Institute. Consumers are most anxious that their devices are difficult to recycle, but their concern differs by device, with almost 60 percent of consumers concerned that televisions are difficult to recycle, and only slightly over 40 percent of consumers stating that phones are difficult to recycle, according to the 2008 LOHAS Consumer Trends Database.

Gazelle, the online consumer electronics "reCommerce" service, reported it has partnered with Costco to set up the wholesale club's electronics trade-in and recycle program. The Gazelle Electronics Trade-In and Recycle Program involves three simple steps: 1.Visit costco.gazelle.com to determine the value of the electronic device; 2.Ship the item(s) to Gazelle for free; and 3.Receive a Costco Cash Card for the value of the item(s). The program will accept consumer electronics in a growing number of nearly 20 categories including digital cameras, laptops, MP3 players, cell phones and more.