Electronic Recycling Facilities

Note – This web page is intended to be a summary for electronics recycling facilities. Exclusion of information from this web page does not relieve an electronics recycler of any duties imposed under the Covered Device Recycling Act or any other laws or regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Electronics recycling facilities must meet certain requirements in order to lawfully manage or recycle electronic devices. These requirements vary depending on the location of the facility as well as the type and origin of the electronic waste that the facility handles.

Electronics Recycling Facilities located in Pennsylvania

All Facilities: Currently, any electronics recycling facility that is located in Pennsylvania must have obtained general permit #WMGR081 (Processing and beneficial use of electronic equipment and components by sorting, disassembling or mechanical processing) before recycling electronic devices or electronic waste.

Covered Device Recycling Facilities: The Covered Device Recycling Act (CDRA) establishes additional requirements for facilities that recycle covered devices, depending on the source of the collected devices. Covered devices include desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals and televisions.

• After Dec. 31, 2011, facilities that manage or recycle covered devices that are gathered from consumers through any electronics collection program in Pennsylvania must have achieved and maintained one of the following certifications:
• R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices Standard) Certification
• e-Stewards Certification
• An internationally accredited third-party environmental management standard for the safe and responsible handling of covered devices.
• Facilities that manage or recycle covered devices that are not from an occupant of a single detached dwelling unit or a single unit of a multiple dwelling unit who has used a covered device primarily for personal or small business use are not required by law to achieve a certification. For purposes of this definition, a small business is an entity that is independently owned or operated, employs 50 or fewer people, has purchased or leased a covered computer device from a computer manufacturer or retailer and, but for the program established under this act, would not otherwise have access to electronic recycling programs.
• Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Recycling Facilities: Pennsylvania law does not impose any additional requirements beyond those outlined above for facilities that manage CRT's. However, those facilities should be aware that Federal regulations exist for the management of CRT's.
• Final Rules on Cathode Ray Tubes and Discarded Mercury-Containing Equipment - US EPA

To find out how your facility can become R2 or e-Stewards certified, please follow the appropriate link below.

• R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices Standard) Certification
• e-Stewards Certification

Pennsylvania law does not directly impose any requirements on electronics recycling facilities that are located outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. However, after Dec. 31, 2011, the Covered Device Recycling Act (CDRA) prohibits any program for the collection of covered devices (desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals, and televisions) from consumers in Pennsylvania from transferring such devices to any recycling facility that has not achieved and maintained one of the following certifications:

• R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices Standard) Certification
• e-Stewards Certification
• An internationally accredited third-party environmental management standard for the safe and responsible handling of covered devices.

Disposal Ban & Limited Exclusion for Solid Waste Disposal Facilities

The CDRA establishes a disposal ban for covered devices and components of such devices that will go into effect beginning Jan. 24, 2013. Thus desktop computers, laptop computers, computer monitors, computer peripherals and televisions may no longer be disposed with municipal waste in Pennsylvania at that time. This means that these devices and their components may not be taken to nor accepted by landfills or other solid waste disposal facilities for disposal.

Non-hazardous residuals of covered devices that are produced during the recycling of those devices by solid waste disposal facilities are excluded from the disposal ban.

Electronic recycling facilities in Pennsylvania operating under general permit #WMGR081 may be subject to generation requirements under 25 PA Code 262a.11 and 25 PA Code 287.