A-4763, the Electronic Waste Management Act, was voted out of the Appropriations Committee this week and is now pending a final Assembly Vote on Thursday, December 17. Essentially, this legislation, which was amended to take industry concerns into account, became mired in a series of untruths (is that a lie?) put forth by the industry.

To be clear…

1. This legislation will have NO IMPACT on the State budget…Contrary to the misinformation put out by the electronics industry.

2. The legislation will not cost manufacturers double what they are paying now to take responsibility for their products…Contrary to the misinformation put out by the electronics industry.

These are not my opinions but simple facts easily confirmed by reading the bill.

As I stated in my earlier blog, it is time that industry stepped up and supported this well thought out and comprehensive legislation that will:

1. Allow towns and counties to stop subsidizing industry for the recycling of their materials.

2. Allow industry to do the right thing.

3. Protect the environment from hazardous materials.

4. Allow for expanded recycling of electronics.

Lastly, a number of people witnessed an industry representative loudly accost an electronics recycler after the hearing for daring to support this legislation. We now know that not only was he accosted, but his ability to recycle electronics under a contract to the industry was taken from him.

Retaliation is not professional conduct folks…and the representative who engaged in this behavior should be ashamed.