HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9243 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9243
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 18, 2010
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SUBJECT: HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS COMMITTEE
INTERIM CHARGES
The Texas House Committee on Environmental Regulations has an interim charge to "Survey existing
recycling programs and suggest needed improvements"prior to the next legislative session. On June 28`h
the committee will be holding hearings in Austin to focus on four topics related to recycling programs in
Texas. Kim Mote, Environmental Management Department Assistant Director, has been invited to testify at
this hearing on electronic waste and television recycling. The testimony is necessary to support
strengthening the existing Texas Computer Take-Back Program and to add producer responsibility
legislation for television recycling.
The current state computer recycling law, passed by the Legislature in 2007, requires manufacturers selling
computer in Texas to provide"free and convenient"recycling to residents in Texas. The law is extremely
weak as evidenced by very low participation rates in 2009, the first full year of the program. Texas has the
lowest results of any state in the United States with a computer recycling program.
Several television take-back bills were proposed during the 2009 Texas legislative session. The City
Council supported staff testifying in support of this legislation. House Bill 821, related to television
recycling, surfaced as the overarching bill with bipartisan support from when it passed both the House and
Senate in its final form. It was, however, vetoed by the governor. As a result, it is anticipated that
`.w. television take-back legislation will be reconsidered in the upcoming legislative session.
The City of Fort Worth has contracted with Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth since September 2005, to
manage the collection, recycling and disposal of electronic waste brought to the City's drop-off stations by
our residents. Although originally this agreement did not include television sets, TVs were added to the
program in August of 2007. Approximately 950 tons of waste computers, televisions and other electronic
equipment have been received at the City's drop-off stations for processing by Goodwill since the
beginning of this partnership.
Currently, Fort Worth does not pay any funds towards its a-waste recycling program with Goodwill,
primarily because of the state law on computer recycling and the fact that the some TV manufacturers, even
in the absence of a state law, have voluntarily accepted a responsibility to take back their products.
Environmental Management feels that it is important to support improving the computer take-back program
and establish legislation requiring television take-back by manufacturers. This would eliminate any future
cost obligations on Fort Worth on the recycling of these products and also assist other cities that have this
obligation.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Brian K. Boemer, CPM, CHMM,
Environmental Management Director, at 817-392-8085.
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D e A. Fiss er, P.E.
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS