Computer Disposal

Responding to a

San Jose Mercury News series documenting the environmental and social disaster of computer assembly and recycling in China, Hewlett-Packard, the world’s largest personal computer producer, has announced support of California legislation that would require

PC manufacturers to pay for computer disposal. A lone voice in the industry, HP supports a shared-responsibility model, in which local governments would be responsible for collection while manufacturers would retain responsibility for recycling of their own brand products. Points of contention include whether the fee should be paid up front or at the time of disposal and whether legislation should include a broad scope of electronic products or focus only on household computer monitors.

Mercury News archives are at: www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/.