The E-Waste Recycling Bill is just awaiting concurrence action, but that it already passed the Senate and the House. This is great news, as it will put the burden on the manufacturers to pay a processor to recycle 60% of Illinois' annual recycling goal. After the first two years, the percentage goes up to 75%. Companies like Sony and Apple are completely on board and even helped draft the bill. This will allow the manufacturing company to draft their own business model; the 160 manufacturers in Illinois may hold their own “e-drives” while others pay non-profits and processors to hold them for them. They will have to make the connections to markets and processors to collect, transport, recycle, and re-use these obsolete electronics. Additionally, retailers will have specific responsibilities including providing customers with recycling information.

Here is Environmental Law and Policy Center’s news blurb: “E-Waste Recycling Bill Passes Illinois House and Senate On May 31, the Illinois Electronic Waste Recycling Bill passed out of both houses of the Illinois General Assembly, and now awaits final concurrence action. Sponsored by State Senator Susan Garrett and State Representative Elaine Nekritz, this legislation creates a system by which manufacturers will partner with recyclers, refurbishers, and others to ensure that home computers, laptops, monitors, televisions, and printers will be kept out of Illinois landfills. ELPC Policy Advocates Joe Shacter and Mel Nickerson have played lead roles in framing the E-Waste policies, negotiating with a wide range of industry interests, and advocating effectively for enactment of this important legislation. http://www.elpc.org/ecobusiness/ewaste/index.php