Legislation designed to keep old TVs and computers out of landfills is on its way to the governor’s desk.
The Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to the bill, which requires electronics manufacturers to take a more active role in recycling their old products. Currently, Dan Kohler of Wisconsin Environment says many of those end up in landfills, with an estimated 10,000 tons worth of computer monitors and 24,000 tons of old televisions being dumped each year in the state.
Kohler says those old electronics can pose serious health concerns, since the lead, mercury, and other dangerous elements can leak out of landfills an into the soil and water supplies.
The bill sets quotas for producers, based on how many new devices they sell in Wisconsin. Kohler says the measure should provide more opportunities for residents to recycle their old electronics, which are very limited in communities across the state.
Manufacturers and the DNR are expected to work together on developing drop-off sites.