Disposal Bans

State Legislation

States Where You Can't Throw E-Waste into the Trash

State Disposal Bans

In most states in the US, it’s perfectly legal for households and many small businesses to throw electronic waste in their trash. However, several states have enacted statewide bans on disposing some types of electronic waste in landfills and/or incinerators.

Below is a list of these states, with links to their bill language or statutes.

Note: sometimes disposal bans are enacted on a local (county or municipal) level, even if the state has no such ban. Those are not reflected on the list below.

Printable Version:
States With Disposal Bans (PDF Version of the information below)

ARKANSAS
Date law was passed establishing ban	March 18, 2005
Effective Date of Ban	January 1, 2008 is when state is authorized to do this. But further action is required by the state agency to make this happen. See details below.
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	Computer and electronic equipment (not clearly defined)
Details of the law	The bill authorizes the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to establish and implement rules and regulations banning the disposal of all computer and electronic equipment in Arkansas landfills
Link to bill	http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/acts/2005/public/act970.pdf
California
Date law was passed establishing ban	August 2001
Effective Date of Ban	2002/2006
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	CRTs have been banned since 2001, as hazardous waste. As of February 2006, Universal Waste is also banned from the landfills. This includes “ Electronic Devices” such as: televisions and computer monitors, computers, printers, VCRs, cell phones, telephones, radios, and microwave ovens.
Details of the law	California treats CRTs as hazardous waste, which make them ineligible to be sent to normal landfills.
Link to statute	http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/LawsRegsPolicies/Title22/OEARA_REG_Title22_Ch23.cfm
Connecticut
Date law was passed establishing ban	Was part of e-waste recycling bill (HB 7249) June 2007, signed by Governor July 6.
Effective Date of Ban	January 1, 2011
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	Items covered by e-waste law: TVs, monitors, personal computers, laptops
Details of the law	On and after January 1, 2011, no person shall knowingly place a covered electronic device or any of the components or subassemblies of such device in any solid waste facility.
Link to bill	http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/PA/2007PA-00189-R00HB-07249-PA.htm See section 9.
Link to statute	Not yet available. Public Act 07-189.

Maine
Date law was passed establishing ban	2004
Effective Date of Ban	July 20, 2006
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	Items containing a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). No size restriction.
Details of the law	A person may not dispose of a cathode ray tube in a solid waste disposal facility
Link to statute	http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/38/title38sec1306.html
Massachusetts
Date law was passed establishing ban
Effective Date of Ban	April 1, 2000
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	Cathode Ray Tubes: any intact, broken, or processed glass tube used to provide the visual display in televisions, computer monitors and certain scientific instruments such as oscilloscopes
Details of the law	Law makes it illegal for person to dispose of, or for landfill/incinerator/transfer station to accept CRTs for disposal
Link to statute	http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/laws/bansreg.htm
Minnesota
Date law was passed establishing ban	2003
Effective Date of Ban	July 1, 2006 (In 2005, the legislature extended the deadline from July 2005 to July of 2006)
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	Electronic items containing CRTs
Details of the law	Effective July 1, 2006, a person may not place in mixed municipal solid waste an electronic product containing a cathode-ray tube
Link to statute	http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/115A/9565.html
New Jersey
Date law was passed establishing ban	January 15, 2008
Effective Date of Ban	January 1, 2010
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	TV, Monitor, Computer, Laptop
Details of the law	“No person shall knowingly dispose of a used covered electronic device, or any of the components or subassemblies thereof, as solid waste.” “Person” means an individual, trust firm, joint stock company, business concern, and corporation, including, but not limited to, a government department, partnership, limited liability company, or association.
Link to statute	http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A4000/3572_U1.HTM See section 16.
New Hampshire
Date law was passed establishing ban	May 24, 2006
Effective Date of Disposal Ban	July 1, 2007
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	Video Display Devices: devices which include a cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display, gas plasma, digital light processing, or other image projection technology, greater than 4 inches when measured diagonally
Details of the law	No person shall dispose of any video display device in any solid waste landfill or incinerator in New Hampshire after July 1, 2007. Facility owners must post signs or otherwise notify customers of this restriction. This bill also requires the department of environmental services to monitor the disposal of electronic waste.
Link to bill	2006 HB 1455:http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2006/HB1455.html

New York City
Date law was passed establishing ban	4/1/2008
Effective Date of Disposal Ban	For manufacturers: July 1 2009 For everyone else, July 1, 2010
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	Products covered by the new e-waste law: computers, laptops, monitors, TVs, printers, keyboards, mice
Details of the law	As of Jul 1, 2010 covered products may not be disposed as solid waste in the City.
Link to bill	Int 728: http://webdocs.nyccouncil.info/textfiles/Int%200728-2008.htm?CFID=1002301&CFTOKEN=19310844

North Carolina
Date law was passed establishing ban	August 31, 2007 as part of omnibus solid waste bill
Effective Date of Disposal Ban	January 2012
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	Yes
What Items are Banned?	Computer Equipment: Computers, Monitors, Laptops, Keyboards, Mice This does NOT apply to televisions.
Details of the law	No person shall knowingly dispose of computer equipment that is solid waste into landfills or by incineration in an incinerator for which a permit is required under this the state solid waste laws.
Link to bill	S1492 (Scroll down to section 15) Statute that bill amends to include e-waste: Chapter 130A S 309.10 (f) and (f)(1)
Oregon
Date law was passed establishing ban	June 7, 2007 as part of e-waste recycling bill (HB2626)
Effective Date of Ban	Jan 1, 2010
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	Desktop computer, laptop, TVs and monitors with diagonal screen sizes more than 4 inches.
Details of the law	No person shall dispose of and no disposal site operator shall knowingly accept for disposal covered electronic devices at a solid waste disposal site.
Link to bill	http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measures/hb2600.dir/hb2626.en.html See Section 15
Link to statute	Not yet available online. ORS 459.247

Rhode Island
Date law was passed establishing ban	July 2006
Effective Date of Ban	July 1, 2008
Ban on Landfilling?	Yes
Ban on Incineration?	No
What Items are Banned?	desktop computers (including central processing unit or CPU) computer monitors, including CRT monitors and flat panel monitors portable computers (laptops) combination units (CPUs with monitors); CRT-based televisions and non-CRT-based televisions; and television (including plasma and LCD), or any similar video display device with a screen greater than four (4) inches diagonally and that contains a circuit board.
Details of the law	Law makes it illegal for any person to dispose of covered electronic products except by recycling or at a hazardous waste facility. It also makes it illegal for solid waste landfills or transfer stations to accept these electronic products. The ban applies both to whole units of covered electronic products, as well as to the constituent subunits and materials from which the units are made.
Link to bill	http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/publiclaws/law06/law06365.htm

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