Looking into legality of electronics recycling

Originally Posted by 406Refining

I can't speak for other states, but in Montana this was the process I had to go through to get a recycling license:

It is better to ask questions to the state about recycling than to make assumptions. In my experience, absolute transparency with the state yields the best results and will keep you out of trouble.

1. initial application process: I had to provide a complete list of my processing procedures, a complete list of which companies scrap items go to, site maps, site descriptions, water samples from the area, complete a soil map for the area, a complete list of safety and emergency procedures, a complete list of closing procedures. All the soil and water stuff needed to be completed because the initial plan was to do the recycling in a 12'x40' shed with some outdoor storage (moved to a warehouse so that part was no longer necessary)

2. application approval (8 months later): I needed to get a $2 million liability insurance policy, a business license, and have a few site inspections.

In Montana, there are no electronics recycling rules so a good portion is thrown into the garbage by consumers and businesses. It's a shame, but when everything is so far apart it's very difficult for state/local governments to fund electronics recycling efforts. Below is what I found that someone can do with/without a license: if anything gets big enough the state will require licensing



-residential pickups: can do without a license

-dumpster diving: can do without a license

-business pickups: can do without a license (if it gets big enough licensing will be required)

-city/county pickups: need to have a recycling license

-state ewaste contracts: need to have a recycling license *also must have a hard drive shredder as most contracts are for ewaste pickups and data destruction

-federal ewaste pickups: need to have R2/estewards certification (in certain instances you may get a federal pickup if you provide a complete list of your processing procedures and where material will end up). I have found that the federal organizations are mostly concerned about items being destroyed vs. being reused. The recycling is more of a bonus.

*in other words, any local/state/federal will require some type of licensing. Businesses usually get to choose, but some have corporate rules that require licensed recyclers.


It would be interesting to hear from Mario on what the bigger certifications take and their costs/difficulty.

Yea it seems it is state specific. In PA we have a "covered devices" law that has been enacted in the last like.... 10 years I think. It makes it illegal for residents or business to throw electronics into the waste stream (dumpster, trash can, landfill, etc). Sure some people probably throw out computers here and there and they go un-noticed (I have found quite a few at the curb, even though technically thats illegal, it is not enforced). They MUST be recycled, and by a permitted entity. To be a permitted entity, you need a certain permit, and that permit stipulates e-steward or r2 cert as a requirement (and a ton of other things).

It just doesnt seem possible that there are large recycling yards, in this state, able to get away with buying e-waste, without that permit. But that is what is the case. They publish the list of companies/people with the permit. Now its not like I can go ask these yards, "hey how are you allowed to do this".... but that is essentially what I am looking for. What allows them to collect, buy, and sell e-waste, so that I can utilize the same law/permit/loophole/etc, as them.