December 3, 2020
Dear Electronic Waste Stakeholder:
This listserv newsletter is an update on the implementation of California's Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (Act) regarding the management of Covered Electronic Waste (CEW) and other electronic waste (e-waste) management developments in California.
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In this issue:
DTSC Public Workshop: Testing Devices for the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program
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DTSC Public Workshop: Testing Devices for the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program
To All Interested Community Members and Stakeholders:
The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will hold a virtual workshop on December 16, 2020, to present information on California’s Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program and DTSC’s intent to test different electronic devices to determine eligibility for addition to the list of Covered Electronic Devices (CEDs) found in California Code of Regulations, title 22, division 4.5, chapter 11, appendix X, subsection c (i.e., the Appendix X List). The devices being tested include organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, such as televisions, computer monitors, tablets, and laptops; as well as, liquid crystal display (LCD) smart devices and tablets. If the electronic devices meet the criteria to be included in the Appendix X List, they will be eligible for the CEW Recycling Program, allowing for collectors and recyclers of CEDs to be reimbursed for their recovery and recycling activities of the new devices. In order to be included in the Appendix X List, the electronic devices must be video display devices containing a screen greater than four inches, measured diagonally, and when tested, exhibit the hazardous waste characteristic of toxicity.
This workshop is intended to inform stakeholders of what product categories DTSC is evaluating, the specific devices being tested, and the requirements for listing a device as a CED in regulation. The workshop will also allow stakeholders the opportunity to ask questions about DTSC’s evaluation.
Instructions for Remote Public Participation:
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (Executive Orders N-29-20PDF download and N-33-20PDF download), there will be no physical public access location. Stakeholders can participate remotely via live Zoom or join the meeting by phone. If you cannot attend the workshop, it will be recorded and posted on the Covered Electronic Devices webpage. The workshop will be held on the following date and time:
How long will the activity take?
December 16, 2020
Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q1ovUxSSRdyDVlHaQahWhQ
After you register, you will receive an email notification with a link and instructions to join the webinar via Zoom or phone. Use that link to join on the day of the meeting.
Submit Public Comments:
Submit public comments to electronicwaste@dtsc.ca.gov. Comments will be read aloud during the meeting.
Workshop Materials:
Any materials will be posted on the Covered Electronic Devices webpage, 24 hours before the start of the meeting.
Background:
The CEW Recycling Program was established in 2005 through Senate Bill 20, also known as, the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (Act). The program requires consumers to pay a fee on all CEDs at the time of retail purchase. The retailers then remit the fees they collect to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration where the fees are put into a designated account. This fund provides payments to approved collectors and recyclers of CEW for the recovery, processing, and recycling of electronic devices. The money also helps pay for inspection and compliance activities done by DTSC.
A key feature of the CEW Recycling Program is that it only applies to video display devices containing a screen greater than four inches, measured diagonally, as specified in the regulations adopted by DTSC pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 25214.10.1 of the Health and Safety Code. When the program was first put into effect, DTSC arranged for the testing of a variety of devices that met the requirements of the Act for the hazardous waste characteristic of toxicity. A product catalog was produced using the devices that were found to be hazardous once disposed of. Throughout the years, other devices were tested and added to the list of approved devices for remittance.
Today, with the speed of emerging technologies, new devices are constantly being released into the market. For the continued success of the CEW Recycling Program, newer technologies need to be evaluated and determined if they meet the eligibility to be added to the list of approved CEDs.
Contact Information:
If you have any further questions about DTSC’s intent to test new electronic devices in order to update the CED list, contact Mr. Ricardo Rivera at (916) 327-4061 or Ms. Uyen Nguyen at (916) 324-2431.
What safety measures will be taken to protect the health of those nearby:
This workshop will be held virtually.
#### Other Resources ####
CEW Recycling Program
CEW Recycling Program Regulations
DTSC Universal Waste Electronics Handler and Recycler
California Statutes and Bills, including Public Resources Code (PRC) and Health and Safety Code (HSC)
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Please note that e-mail correspondence with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) related to e-waste management in general, and implementation of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act in particular, should be directed to ewaste@calrecycle.ca.gov.
Also note that an archive of past distributions of this newsletter is available at:
Thank you for your interest in shaping California's e-waste management future.
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To unsubscribe from the E-Waste listserv or to subscribe to other listservs, please go to the CalRecycle listserv page. For information on California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (SB 20) implementation efforts, as well as other relevant developments go to the CalRecycle Electronic Waste Management homepage.
