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News: Yuma glass recycler cited for e-waste violations | waste, glass, dlubak, yuma, shaffer, environmental, plant, lead, states, violations

A Monterey Park company has been caught by federal officials trying to send 32,000 pounds of hazardous waste from old televisions and computer monitors to China in violation of federal environmental regulations. The company, ZKW Trading, attempted to ship two 40-foot containers filled with cathode ray tubes (CRTs) - the video display parts from televisions and computer monitors that are high in lead content - to Hong Kong

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.

Illinois e-waste legislation that requires manufacturers to establish facilities to accept e-waste from consumers. The law is on a rolling basis and over the next few years the recycling requirements will kick in and by 2012, disposal of certain e-waste in municipal waste and sanitary landfills and at incinerators will be prohibited. The E-Waste Act only applies to electronic equipment taken out of use from residences, but it affects many of the businesses involved in the stream of electronic commerce. There is a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each day of violation. Devices covered in the legislation include computers, cell phones, televisions, PDAs, printers, fax machines, game consoles, VCRs, DVD players, iPods and others (calculators and typewriters are NOT included).

Basel Action Network (BAN) Toxic Trade News, 6/10/09. "The Environmental Protection Agency filed a legal Complaint and Compliance Order late last week against EarthEcycle, the electronic waste handler for several charity e-waste collection events held in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in recent days. Basel Action Network (BAN) tracked 7 sea-going containers of the collected toxic e-waste to Hong Kong and South Africa after assurances were made by EarthEcycle owner, Mr. Jeffrey Nixon, that the wastes would be recycled locally. The EPA complaint cites 7 violation counts for illegal management and exportation of 'Cathode Ray Tubes' - the picture tube of old computer monitors and TVs. The counts include 'unauthorized export of hazardous waste' and 'failure to prepare a hazardous waste manifest.'" Article also reports on the decision of certain charities to continue their fundraising relationships with EarthECycle despite allegations of illegal exportation of waste.