Rhode Island E-waste Law

Update: Rhode Island's E-waste Law has recently been amended with H 7716 (.pdf), which became law without the Governor’s signature on June 22, 2010. This law revises several reporting dates required under the Electronic Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling Act. It also require collectors and recyclers of electronic waste to register annually with the Department of Environmental Management.

Electronic Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling Act ( SB 2631 & HB 7880) was signed on June 27, 2008 by Rhode Island Governor Carcieri. Effective January 1, 2009, manufacturers are responsible for financing the collection, recycling and reuse of covered electronic devices (CED) for households, and elementary and secondary schools.

Details
Manufacturers will be able to either create their own collection system or pay into the state Resource Recovery Corporation’s e-waste recycling program, which will be expanded.  Manufacturers of CEDs other than televisions obligations are based on return share. Obligation for television manufacturers are based on market share. Each nanufacturer must also pay a a registration fee of $5000 annually to RI Department of Environmental Management.

Manufacturers must disclose whether any CEDs sold in RI exceed the ROHS standards. RI law also probihits using prison labor for any recycling facilities.

Disposal Ban
Disposal ban went into effect January 31, 2009.

Covered Devices: TVs, monitors, personal computers, laptops
Read the final version of the law SB 2631(Sosnowski)
Read the final version of the law HB 7880 (Handy)
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management