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ERCC Release on Black Friday 2010

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Contact: Jason Linnell

November 24, 2010                                                         Phone: 304-699-1008

                                                             Email: jlinnell@electronicsrecycling.org

 

Holiday Deals on Electronics May Not Comply with State Recycling Laws

Consumers and Retailers Encouraged to Check Brands for Compliance

 

Parkersburg, W.Va. – With Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargains, consumers may be seeing new brands on the latest bargain electronic items.  While the majority of these deals from name brands will offer savings to consumers, the Electronics Recycling Coordination Clearinghouse (ERCC) urges everyone to consider a hidden feature of these specials – whether recycling laws prevent their sale in their state.  To date, 22 states require manufacturers to register or submit recycling plans prior to being able to sell their products in the state, but some brands fail to meet this key obligation. Overall, 24 states have now passed come form of electronics recycling law in order to address the growing concern over the quantities of electronics that are increasing in home and the impacts of improper disposal of the lead, mercury, and other materials of concern contained in some electronics.

 

Televisions, computers, computer monitors, and printers are the most common products that require registration prior to sale.  Unfortunately, as some state agencies have discovered, some newer “bargain” brands are not always aware of these requirements.  Retailers and other sellers in most of the states with mandatory programs have an obligation to check each state’s registration list to determine if a product can legally be sold in that state.  Under many of the state laws, penalties can be assessed against the manufacturer and in some cases the retailer for failing to register or for selling unregistered brands in the state.

 

 “Encouraging consumers to check unfamiliar brands with state compliance lists is important to leveling the playing field for all companies and containing costs.  Black Friday or other promotional deals should not be bargains due to failure to comply with recycling laws,” said Jason Linnell, Executive Director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling, which manages the ERCC.  “If these special deal brands disappear from the market in the coming months that leaves fewer responsible companies to fund the recycling of their devices. ”   The ERCC maintains a web page for consumers to be able to reference their state’s list to see if the product can legally be sold in their state.    If a consumer finds a brand for sale in their state that is not on their state list, the ERCC urges them to contact the ERCC or the state agency contacts listed on the website and note the seller.   

 

Consumers and retailers in the following states can currently check the ERCC website to see if the brand is in fact registered and living up to its recycling obligations:  Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.  Newer state laws passed in 2010, such as New York, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania – who officially became the 24th state in the country with an “ecycling” law on November 23rd – will have registered manufacturer lists available in 2011.  In some cases, a brand may already be designated as out of compliance due to failure to fulfill requirements under the state recycling law. The following web page on the ERCC website lists each state with these requirements, the products that are covered, and links to the registered brand page.  In addition, this page includes a link to the ERCC compilation of brands out of compliance in all states as of the end of November, 2010.  http://www.ecycleclearinghouse.org/content.aspx?pageid=73

 

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About ERCC: The ERCC is administered by the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and managed by the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER). For more information, see www.ecycleclearinghouse.org or contact Jason Linnell, NCER at jlinnell@electronicsrecycling.org or Lynn Rubinstein, NERC at lynn@nerc.org.  

About the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER): The NCER is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization based in Parkersburg, West Virginia that is dedicated to the development and enhancement of a national infrastructure for the recycling of used electronics in the U.S. For more information about the NCER, visit its website at http://www.electronicsrecycling.org/.

About the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC):  NERC is a non-profit organization that works to advance an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling, and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services.  For more information on NERC or any of their projects visit its website at http://www.nerc.org/.