Precious Earth - Recycle

Today is Earth Day. As the legislature draws to a close next week, a significant number of bills on recycling are alive. For instance:

HB639 is a carryover from 2007. Introduced by Rep. Hermina Morita, the bill requires that redemption centers and dealers in high density areas remain open for at least 35 hours per week. It allows dealers in the same shopping center to coordinate the operation of a redemption center. And for those who seek the convenience of a redemption center, it requires the Department of Health to encourage the facilitation of agreements between shopping center managers, store owners and dealers to establish redemption centers. The bill is scheduled for another conference on Thursday, 4/24.

SB651 is another carryover from 2007. Introduced by Senator Gary Hooser, the bill establishes a statewide, at-store, plastic bag recycling program. It requires certain retailers to collect plastic bags at their store and recycle them. The bill is scheduled for another conference on Wednesday, 4/23.

SB2843 is about recycling electronic devices. The bill is part of the Joint House/Senate Majority package. It requires manufacturers of electronic devices to collect and recycle the devices. It establishes the Electronic Device Recycling Fund. Electronic device means "a computer printer, computer monitor, or television, whether cathode ray tube-based or flat panel-based, or a portable computer, with a screen size greater than four inches measured diagonally." The bill is scheduled for its next conference on Wednesday, 4/23.