A Sustainable Train of Thought

Comments (1) to “Taxing Trash”

1. Sydney wrote:

   http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/02/post_19.php

   Maine Manufacturers are Forced to Pay Recycling Costs

   A few weeks back, a law went into effect in Maine to force manufacturers of televisions and computer monitors to pay for and handle the recycling of their own outdated equipment. The long-term goal of this new law is to give manufacturers an economic incentive to design less-toxic and easier-to-recycle products. European governments and Japan have been requiring manufacturers to pay for their recycling for some time now and in the U.S. electronic waste is a growing concern. Recycling costs are usually the responsibility of the taxpayer and Maine is the first state in the U.S. with this kind of mandate. Historically, the federal government has been reluctant to throw the costs of recycling back to manufacturers but analysts are thinking that a few other states may follow soon. California has a similar program, but there is an up-front disposal fee that is collected at the store when products are purchased and then the store distributes the money to pay recycling costs. With each computer monitor and television set containing about five pounds of potentially dangerous heavy metals as well as toxic chemicals, we’re hoping that the other states follow Maine – we like their idea better.

   Posted on 10-Feb-06 at 8:25 pm | Permalink