House Dems Introduce Bill for EPA to Research E-Waste

Date: March 19, 2009

Source: News Room

A group of House Democrats has introduced legislation to authorize the EPA to research into better recycling technologies and the use of more environmentally sensitive materials to address the growing amount of electronic waste. House Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) introduced H.R. 1580, which would authorize U.S. EPA to give grants for e-waste reduction research and development. The problem of disposing of discarded electronics such as computers and televisions has been growing as new products rapidly come on the market and consumers discard old models. According to U.S. EPA, there were 1.9 million to 2.2 million tons of used or unwanted electronics in 2005, of which only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled.

"While we need to increase the amount of e-waste that is recycled, we also need to make recycling electronics safer and more efficient by investing in research in recycling technology, alternative materials and greener design," Gordon said in a statement.

Gordon was joined by Reps. Brian Baird of Washington, Russ Carnahan of Missouri, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ben Lujan of New Mexico, Mike Thompson of California and David Wu of Oregon.

H.R. 1580 text: www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1580/text

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