Electronic waste is the largest growing waste stream in the country. The EPA estimates that only 25% of electronics due to be discarded are collected for recycling.
The National Strategy for Electronic Stewardship , released in 2011, encouraged federal agencies to ban landfill disposal of electronics. That guideline is now set to become a requirement.
The new regulation will ban federal agencies from disposing of electronic waste in landfills.
Working computers, phones and monitors will be offered for reuse to other agencies, donated to schools, state and local government offices, and eligible non-profits, or sold.
Non-working electronics will be recycled by third-party certified e-waste recyclers.
The e-waste regulation is available for review and comments until May 5th.