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Ted Potrikus
Executive Vice President and
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Retailers join lawmakers to back electronic recycling initiative

Albany, N.Y. (April 23, 2007) – The Retail Council of New York State – representing many of the state’s biggest and best-known sellers of consumer electronics – today announced its support for legislation creating a statewide program for “e-waste” recycling.

Assembly Solid Waste Commission Chairman William Colton and Senate Environmental Protection Committee Chairman Carl Marcellino sponsor the Council-backed bills, which seek to recycle and reuse computers and televisions, not send them to the state’s landfills.

The bills would require manufacturers of certain products to create and fund recycling programs for electronic waste (e-waste). New York’s retailers would be prohibited from selling covered devices if the manufacturer of the product has not registered with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Stores also would be required to provide information outlining where and how to recycle covered electronics.

“We think these bills create just the right balance and give the manufacturer the primary responsibility for ensuring their products receive proper disposal at their end-of-life,” said Retail Council President and Chief Executive Officer James R. Sherin. “Retailers willingly take on the responsibility for ensuring the products on their shelves are in keeping with the state’s requirements. And we’re there to let the consumer know exactly what to do when it’s time to replace the product.”

Mr. Sherin thanked the Assembly and Senate for working so carefully on the bill.

“We congratulate the two chairmen for their hard work,” Mr. Sherin said. “Especially Chairman Colton – he has spent a lot of time studying this issue, working closely with the Retail Council and other stakeholders, and really looking for a way to get these products out of the landfill and into the recycling center. By shepherding these bills through the Assembly over the past several years, he has kept the issue on the front burner and has kept pressure on the stakeholders to be creative and constructive.”

Mr. Sherin said the Retail Council remained opposed to concepts floated in other states that would find the consumer paying a point-of-sale tax – called an “advance recovery fee” – to offset the cost of future recycling efforts. The Council also has opposed efforts that would require retailers to collect used electronics for recycling.

“The advance recovery fee is really nothing but a bad tax on consumers, and we’re pleased that these two key legislative panels have rejected it,” Mr. Sherin said. “In no way does that tax ensure that covered electronics will be recycled, and there might not be any guarantee that any money collected even would be used for recycling in the first place.”

“We’re also glad to note that the bills don’t require retailers to be the collection center for recycled products,” Mr. Sherin said. “Most stores don’t have the space or the personnel to handle such transactions.”

Mr. Sherin said retailers would continue to lead the way with voluntary electronics recycling redemption events and related environmentally-friendly efforts.

“Short of a federal solution, a statewide approach to electronics recycling is an outstanding step forward,” Mr. Sherin said. “We hope the bills make it through both houses this year and find their way to the governor’s desk as soon as possible.”