Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 – AB2901
On September 29 th 2004 Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger signed the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004
into law, which will require retailers to have a system
in place to collect used cell phones if they want
to sell new devices in the state of California.
California is the first state to impose such a requirement.
Industry estimates indicate Californians trash about 45,000
cell phones every day, of which only 5 percent are currently
being recycled. Phones that are not recycled often end
up in landfills, although it is impossible to determine
the number since there is no system for tracking what consumers
do with non-recycled phones.
A study conducted by the University of Florida's Solid
and Hazardous Waste Engineering Program showed that cellphones
often contain hazardous amounts of materials such as lead
and cadmium. The toxins have the potential to be released
into groundwater when buried in landfills, according to
Californians Against Waste, a California based environmental
group.
The Cell Phone Recycling Act of
2004 makes
it unlawful to sell, on and after July 1, 2006, a cell
phone in the state to a consumer unless the retailer complies
with the act. To be in compliance, retailers selling cell
phones must institute mechanisms to collect used wireless
phones for reuse, recycling or environmentally sound disposal.
All sales channels, including catalog and internet sales,
are impacted by this new law.
To help wireless retailers prepare
for the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004, RMS Communications
Group (the company that operates www.RecycleForUS.com)
has set up several cell phone recycling programs. Carriers
like US Cellular and Alltel have turned to RMS for assistance
in setting up custom recycling programs. RMS has also
developed a web based tracking and shipping application, www.RecycleForCalifornia.com,
which enables any California entity to accept cell phones
for recycling. RMS’s application includes postage-paid
boxes and self-mailer envelopes that can be used to
ship back cell phones and full Cell Phone Recycling
Act of 2004 compliance reporting. Additionally,
any cell phones that have value will be purchased by
RMS from the collecting entity.
How we can help.
- RMS helps keep thousands
of old cell phones contribute and tons of hazardous
wastes to landfills every year.
- RMS provides FREE programs that actually pay
you to recycle old cell phones.
- RMS supplies all collection
and collateral materials, pays for shipping and
lists you in our online database – We
help to drive more traffic to your stores!
- RMS provides all materials
and reports you need to comply with California
Law – at
absolutely NO COST to you!
- Many other states across the country such
as Illinois are now considering enacting legislation
similar to California's.
Download
a copy of The Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 – AB
2901 here.
