Dive Brief:

• Lawmakers in Hawaii have introduced a bill that would require electronics manufacturers to recycle 50% of of the goods by weight that the company sells in the state. Manufacturers would be expected to report sales in August, then set their recycling goal after the pounds sold are determined.
• The Consumer Electronics Association opposed the bill, citing the high costs to electronics companies. The association is also against a requirement that proposes each manufacturer provide a recycling facility on every island with over 1,000 residents.
• The bill has passed in the Senate. No vote has been taken on the bill yet, and it will be heard again in the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee tomorrow.

Dive Insight:

The purpose of SB 2857 is to give the community options to recycle obsolete electronics. It is difficult for residents in Hawaii to recycle due to the logistics of shipping oversized electronics, such as televisions, back to the manufacturer at a rate of $50. The bill would ease the financial burden for consumers, and place it on retailers. The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii is also in opposition of the bill.