This year in Minnesota the legislature might pass a law requiring a $10 surcharge on all TVs and computers. All retailers must collect the fee; therefore, the entire fee is passed on to the consumer. Retailers keep 5% of the collected fees to administer the recycling program and the remainder is remitted to the state.
Cradle to grave, beeatch.
In 2003, Minnesotans bought 703,000 PCs, 266,000 laptops, and 608,000 TVs. Hennepin County collected 2000 tons of electronic waste.
When I was at the Merriam Park library reading magazines as part of the fulfillment of my New Year's resolutions, I read about the Basel Convention, members of which prevent the exporting of e-waste to other countries. For example, a country prohibits the export of trashed computers to a dump in china frequented nightly by one alf hickey scavenging for copper by smashing cathode ray tubes.
2 comments:
that is a wise move by Alf. With the impending economic crisis that will be caused by the war on terror, alf is wise to be collecting a tradable commodity. he'll be exchanging circuit boards and air-conditioner coils for food while we are burning our dollars to stay warm.
well done, alf.
I'd have to say a user fee is an acceptable thing- the peope who are using are paying for disposal. But yes, a user fee by any other name is a tax. i doubt this will slow consumption.
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