Colorado Environmental Damage Lawyers

Bill takes significant steps to prevent contamination of air, water and land and helps assure Colorado residents that their e-waste is recycled in a safe and responsible manner.

Yesterday the Colorado Senate gave initial approval of Senate Bill 269, known as the "Electronics Recycling Act". The bill sponsored by Senator Gail Schwartz (D–Snowmass) is intended to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of improperly disposed electronic waste by cracking down an disreputable recyclers, and to encourage recycling by providing the public with a list of certified electronic waste recyclers.

Accumulating electronic wastes are an increasing problem in Colorado and across the United States. The relatively short useful lifespan of many consumer electronics means that they are soon discarded for the newest, latest models. Too often batteries, mobile phones, computers, monitors, printers and countless other electronic items are simply thrown away. When they are, they often end up in landfills. Even when well-intended consumers and businesses try to recycle them, they can't be sure that once the most valuable parts and metals are recovered, they won't end up in local landfills anyway.

Electronic waste that is not recycled properly either ends up in local landfills or gets shipped overseas where it is processed by unprotected workers to reclaim the valuable heavy metals they contain. Many of the metals contained in electronic waste are toxic and harmful to humans and the environment.

Senate Bill 269 requires local processors and collectors of e-waste to be certified by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, and to comply with state processing standards. The bill, which now awaits final approval before it will go to the House.