History of Electronics Recycling in West Virginia

2002

In 2002, the WV Solid Waste Management Board, the WV Department of Environmental Protection and WV Solid Waste Authorities, teamed up with US   EPA Region III and others to initiate the first ever regional end-of-life-electronics collection program. 

West Virginia was joined by Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and Washington DC., all of whom work with Envirocycle, Inc., the electronics recycling contractor chosen for the project.

The e-Cycling program was designed to utilize a system of shared responsibility to effectively address what has become a important and growing environmental and social issue - what to do with obsolete electronics.

In 2002, seven West Virginia collection events were held in conjunction with the Region III program. Those events netted almost 137 tons of obsolete electronic material. In addition, Waste Management Inc. and West Virginia University added another 128 tons that year for a total of 264.90 tons.

2004

In 2004 the Monongalia SWA hosted an event netting over 15 tons of e-waste. In 2005, collection events were held in Monongalia County, Harrison County and the City of Parkersburg along with programs at West Virginia University and Waste Management Inc. In 2005, activity increased and the total tonnage for the year was 255.3 tons.

In the same year, a new computer recycling business  started in West Virginia. PC Renewal, based near Morgantown, WV, offers collection event services and pickup services to businesses and individuals. PC Renewal evaluates electronics for potential reuse and markets unrecoverable materials to an appropriate electronics recycling contractor. In March 2007, PC Renewal was awarded a state purchasing contract to recycle computers making the firm the official computer recycler of state government in West Virginia. For more information on PC Renewal, go to www.wvpcrenewal.com.

Another new addition is the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) located in Davisville, WV. NCER will serve state, regional and national interest by acting as a third party organization for various projects and by gathering and distributing electronics recycling related information. 

2006

In 2006, the Solid Waste Management Board along with the WV DEP, the National Center for Electronics Recycling, SDR Plastics and Amandi Services joined forces to organize and coordinate a statewide obsolete electronics collection drive. Funding for this program was awarded in a grant by the West Virginia High Tech Consortium Foundation and was administered by the National Center for Electronics Recycling. Overall, 14 collection events were held around the state. When tonnages from PC Renewal, Waste Management, Inc. and West Virginia University were added in, the state had collected  795.71tons of e-waste for recycling.

2007

The program was continued in 2007 utilizing the resources of the WV Solid Waste Management Board along with the WV DEP REAP program, the National Center for Electronics Recycling, PC Renewal and Amandi Services with a total of 625.9 tons collected.

2008

The 2008 Legislative session produced Senate Bill 746 to further facilitate electronics recycling in West Virginia. The bill requires all manufactures of computers, monitors, televisions and video display devices 4" or larger,  to register with the WV Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) by January 1, 2009.

Manufactures who market covered electronic devices in West Virginia are required to pay a registration fee, to set up a take-back program, (either through a mail in program, a collection events program or a collection center) and to pay a yearly fee. Both manufactures and retailers are penalized for selling goods in the state without proper manufacture registration. All fees, fines and  penalties are to be deposited into the "Covered Electronic Devices Takeback Fund," which will be administered by the Secretary of the DEP and used for recycling grants for counties and municipalities for recycling and other programs that divert covered electronic devices from West Virginia's waste stream. Takeback programs are to be in place by July 1, 2009.

2009 - 2010

In the 2009 - 2010 legislative session, Senate Bill 398 was passed banning electronics from West Virginia landfills, effective January 1, 2011. In addition, the Solid Waste Management Board was directed to design a comprehensive program for the proper handling of electronic devices.

General Information

E-Waste Stakeholder Information

REAP E-Waste Programs