Electronics: NWPSC Reports

NWPSCPreliminary Analysis of E-Cycle Programs in Washington and Oregon. 

In March 2010, the Northwest Product Stewardship Council produced a report (PDF, 2.75MB) covering the first nine months of operation of the E-Cycle Programs in Washington and Oregon. This report explores the preliminary results of the E-Cycle Washington and Oregon E-Cycles programs that began providing services on January 1, 2009.

The report provides an overview of the program requirements, a summary of the statutory and policy differences between the Oregon and Washington programs, a summary of the experiences in each program that draw from an analysis of quantified results (e.g., the number of tons collected and recycled, number of collection locations) and interviews of 38 stakeholders that were involved in program implementation.

NWPSCGood Guys Electronics Take-back Pilot Project Report

The NWPSC and Good Guys electronics stores teamed up with electronics manufacturers JVC, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp and Sony to take back TVs for recycling from residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties.

The report summarizes the results of the project which ran from July 8 through August 7, 2004. During this time, customers could bring their TVs to the Good Guys stores in Bellevue, Lynnwood, Puyallup and Tukwila where they were charged $10 to recycle standard TVs and $25 for consoles. In return, they received a 10% discount coupon good on the purchase of products sold by participating manufacturers. The program was designed using a product stewardship model where electronics manufacturers, retailers, consumers and local governments contributed to the funding and implementation of the pilot program.

This project was funded in part by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and was a project of the EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling Campaign. The program was administered by the Northwest Product Stewardship Council governments King County, Snohomish County, City of Seattle, and City of Tacoma.

NWPSCBusiness Plan and Final Report for an Electronic Product Stewardship Third Party Organization (TPO) in the Pacific Northwest

The goal of this pilot project was to explore the feasibility of creating a private "Third Party Organization" (TPO) that would function to implement an electronics collection and recycling program in the states of Washington and Oregon. The private industry-managed TPO would serve the interests of the states and the product manufacturers.

The April 2006 report provides recommendations for establishing a TPO, the organizational structure, the costs to set up and implement an electronics recycling program in multiple states and provides an analysis of the legal parameters necessary to operate a TPO in a multiple states.

The project was conceived and organized by members of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council and was led by a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from eight electronics manufacturers.

 
NWPSCStudy Tests Usability of Computer “Mail Back” Programs

Snohomish County, a member of the NWPSC Steering Committee, tested several of the electronics “mail back” programs offered by computer manufacturers. The tests were conducted during the month of October 2003 on five manufacturer mail back programs: IBM, HP, Dell, Gateway, and Lexmark.

The Test of Electronics Manufacturer Mail Back Programs Report (PDF file, 207KB) evaluated the following program elements:

  • Ease of getting the information
  • Number of layers/websites it takes to find the information
  • Accuracy of information provided
  • Total time for follow-up to inquiries
  • Cost of recycling & other materials
  • Overall time to complete the recycle or “take-back” process

The report concludes with an overall estimation of the time and effort it would take the average consumer to recycle a computer, computer monitor or other electronics equipment using one of these programs.

NWPSCConsiderations for Local Communities, Related to the Collection of Used Electronics.

Many citizens look to their local government agencies to offer electronics recycling collection programs. The NWPSC has developed guidelines for local governments to consider if are thinking about collecting electronics for recycling.

These guidelines focus on short-term solutions that will encourage long-term product stewardship programs involving electronics manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, and consumers.

Considerations for Local Communities, Related to the Collection of Used Electronics (PDF file, 53KB).

NWPSCE-Waste Generation in Northwest Washington

Seattle Public Utilities, a member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council, commissioned a report about the state of e-waste in Northwest Washington. The report provides estimates of the quantities of e-waste and the costs associated with starting two e-waste collection facilities in Seattle. Read the executive summary (PDF file, 26KB) or the full report (PDF file, 522KB).

NWPSCConceptual Business Plan: For an Electronic Product Stewardship Third-Party Organization (TPO) (PDF file, 1.58MB).

Northwest Product Stewardship Council. April 2006. 

NWPSCElectronic Waste Legislation and Economic Development (PDF file, 172KB).

Northwest Product Stewardship Council. 2004.