Despite our best efforts to negotiate with New York City officials on a reasonable and effective recycling program, the City is proceeding with plans to impose the most costly, burdensome and environmentally harmful electronics recycling requirements in the world.
Dean Garfield, President and CEO, Information Technology Industry Council

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) have filed a legal challenge against a new law in the City of New York mandating that manufacturers provide free, door-to-door electronics collection to City residents. The regulation, which is scheduled to go into effect July 31, 2009, will force hundreds of additional trucks onto city streets, needlessly increasing traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, and carbon emissions. Estimates suggest the requirements will cost manufacturers, including many small businesses, more than $200 million annually, resulting in cost increases to consumers and job losses.

"Despite the technology industry's best efforts to negotiate with New York City officials on a reasonable and effective recycling program, the City is proceeding with plans to impose the most costly, burdensome and environmentally harmful electronics recycling requirements in the world," said Dean Garfield, president and CEO of ITI. "At this point, we have no option but to file suit to avoid the disastrous environmental and economic consequences of this poorly conceived regulation. There is a better way to achieve the common goal of an effective recycling program."

"Manufacturers recognize that they have a key role in providing recycling opportunities for consumers, and have recycled billions of pounds of electronics through voluntary programs," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "However, they do not have the only role. The responsibilities and costs for electronics recycling should be shared among all stakeholders, including city and state governments, retailers, recyclers and consumers."

The enormous financial burden of door-to-door collection threatens to force electronics companies out of the New York City marketplace or into bankruptcy. Despite the fact that most manufacturers do not have a corporate presence in New York City nor the infrastructure to provide direct collection services to residents, the City's regulations place the entire cost of collecting and recycling old electronics products on manufacturers, including hundreds of U.S. companies whose products are shipped into the City by distributors.