Union Argues E-Waste Collection is 'Exclusive Province' of NYC Sanitation Workers

Date: December 15, 2009

Source: News Room

In the closely watched battle over New York City's waste electronics (e-waste) recycling laws, the union for the city's 6,200 sanitation workers filed a supporting amicus brief in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Consumer Electronics companies argue that New York City's e-waste program will cause them "irreparable harm" and cost them more than $200 million a year in compliance costs, according to a filing in their lawsuit that asks the U.S. District Court, Manhattan, for a preliminary injunction to prevent the program from taking effect. The Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association is concerned that e-waste collection under the new law would be given over to private contractors. Collecting residential waste, including e-waste, "is the exclusive province" of sanitation workers, the brief said. They further argue that if the law's purpose "is to reduce the risk to workers and the public of potential exposure to hazardous materials contained within e-waste, there is no morequalified or appropriate work force to handle such items than they very men and women that have been handling it for years."

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