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In 2005, Maryland became the third State, behind California and Maine, to enact legislation designed to stem the flow of electronics to landfills. The Statewide Computer Recycling Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”) requires certain computer manufacturers to register annually with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and pay a registration fee if they intend to sell computers in Maryland on or after January 1, 2006. Additionally, a computer manufacturer that establishes a computer-recycling program, that is free to Maryland residents, can reduce their renewal registration fee. Registration fees collected are used to provide grants to counties and municipalities to implement local computer recycling programs and to carry out the purposes and goals of the State’s recycling program.
As Seen on TV
MDE promotes and encourages the responsible disposal of end-of-life electronic equipment. This not only saves valuable landfill capacity and recycles useful materials, but also protects public health and the environment from the potential effects of metals and chemicals that may leach from electronics. In 2006, the majority of the registration fees collected were used for a public outreach campaign that was highlighted by computer recycling commercials that aired on television and radio stations across Maryland. Click here to view the television commercial.
The MDE eCycling page also contains information on permanent electronic drop-off locations and on special electronics recycling events such as the Hewlett Packard event on August 25, 2007, at Montgomery Park in Baltimore, Maryland. This new emphasis on electronics recycling and dedicated effort by local governments to collect end-of-life electronics for recycling resulted in an increase of 83% from 2005 to 2006 for a total of nearly 6.3 million pounds of electronics recycled in Maryland in 2006! This total excludes any electronics recycling that occurred in commercial establishments in Maryland.
Keeping Electronics In the Loop and Out of the Waste Stream
In 2007, MDE issued the first grants, totaling $190,000, to interested counties and municipalities that separately collect and recycle computers and computer monitors to prevent their introduction into the municipal solid waste stream. “Grants were awarded based upon a number of criteria, including the existence of a current county or municipal computer recycling program, proposal for a new program, potential for the proposal to make a significant improvement in an existing program, per capita income, and the likelihood of success in increasing computer recycling,” Recycling and Operations Program Administrator Hilary Miller said. Grants were awarded for planned computer recycling activities from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008, as follows:
| |
Amount |
| Municipalities |
| Annapolis |
$6,750 |
| College Park |
$11,483 |
| Greenbelt |
$11,890 |
| Hyattsville |
$12,853 |
| Counties |
| Allegany |
$27,000 |
| Calvert |
$12,606 |
| Cecil |
$12,607 |
| Garrett |
$8,582 |
| Howard |
$10,000 |
| Midshore
Region Counties Combined* |
$16,000 |
| Montgomery |
$10,000 |
| Prince George’s |
$18,923 |
| Washington |
$18,700 |
| Worcester |
$12,606 |
*Includes Caroline, Kent, Queen
Anne's and Talbot counties.
Activities include curbside pickup for seniors, establishing permanent collection facilities, purchasing equipment, expanding electronics recycling, and holding special collection events.
Over 94 Percent of Marylanders Served
“MDE congratulates the Counties and Municipalities on their grant awards,” Waste Management Administration Director Horacio Tablada said. “We appreciate local governments’ efforts to increase electronics recycling and provide permanent eCycling facilities to serve approximately 94% of the State’s population. We look forward to our continued partnerships with Maryland jurisdictions as we work towards an environmentally responsible Maryland.”
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