Christie DEP Fails To Enforce Electronic Waste Recycling Law – Program Stalled

South Jersey flooded with growing piles of electronic waste

DEP failure to enforce the law should spur Legislative oversight hearings

[Update below]

We all know that Gov. Christie’s policy on the environment can be summed up in two words: “regulatory relief”.

We also know that the Christie DEP  has virtually abandoned its traditional enforcement role in favor of a cooperative or supporting role with the  business community in order to promote economic development. As a result, inspections, fines, and penalties have been dramatically slashed and are at record lows.

Those policies have on the ground consequences.

But what we mostly don’t know is how those pro-business lax regulatory oversight Christie policies have impacted the environment, environmental programs, and local governments. There has been very little press reporting and sporadic – at best – environmental group documentation of those impacts.

Well, this quote about an important new electronic waste recycling law sums the situation up:

A state law that took effect Jan. 1, 2011, required manufacturers of electronics to fund the recycling with no charge to the public. They initially seemed to keep up their end of the bargain.

“However, starting in the later part of 2013, the manufacturers have refused to fund the recycling operation and the state has taken no action to enforce the act,” Baron said. […]

By state law, electronics must be recycled. They contain toxic materials, including mercury, lead and other heavy metals, so they are not allowed in landfills and residents cannot discard them in their curbside trash.

Those sites are a hazard – and a real toxic risk in the event of a fire.

So, just as we feared, lack of DEP enforcement is killing the market for electronic waste recycling, creating hazardous piles of electronic wastes, and imposing costs on local and county governments.

Read the complete story in this Press Of Atlantic CIty story:

• South Jersey flooded with growing piles of electronic waste

Perhaps this DEP failure to enforce the law will spur Legislative oversight hearings and amendments to strengthen enforcement of the law to assure that the electronics industry pay the full cost of the program.

[Update – This is not the first shortsighted hit on the State’s historically successful recycling program by the Christie Crew – see:  Gov. Christie Raided $42 Million From Recycling Fund – Cuts To Local Programs Reverse Progress