I hate environmentalists. They cost consumers more money every time lawmakers fall under their spell and concoct bills to "save the environment".
Think the dreadful beverage container tax. Every time consumers buy something in a beverage container, 6 cents is slapped onto the cost of the each container as an additional tax. Consumers who want to get the recycling tax back have to wash and collect the bottles and return them to a redemption center. Problem is consumers only get 5 cents back per bottle. The State of Hawaii pockets a penny on every beverage container purchase. This tax is slapped on top of the 4.72% General Excise Tax consumers pay for the product.
It has been reported that the bottle tax has allowed the state to land a multi-million windfall. It is nothing but a money grab, not an environmental law.
Now comes the new "Electronic Devices Recycling Program" in the form of SB 2843. This new bill will create a new mandate that "requires manufacturers of electronic devices to collect and recycle electronic devices. Establishes the electronic device recycling fund. Establishes a working group that includes TV manufacturers to develop a plan to recycle TVs."
This legislation will place many burdens on electronics manufacturers and retailers, both in and out of Hawaii.
The bill also establishes a new special fund to administer "all fees, payments, and penalties...." The state will collect an annual $5000 registration fee from device manufacturers.
The costs associated with this recycling mandate is certainly to be passed on to consumers. And that is very bad when Hawaii already has the rotten reputation of being one of the highest cost of living and taxed states in the union. The madness of more government mandated cost increases has to stop!
Hawaii consumers have long had opportunities to recycle their old electronic devices through several community based, volunteer recycling campaigns. Like the bottle bill, the public certainly does not need another forced mandate on recycling.
The Hawaii Electronic Devices Recycling Program is just another money grab, just like the Beverage Container Tax.
Photo: Voluntary computer recycling day.
2 comments:
I think the bottle tax backfired. People no longer recycle their 1 gallon plastic juice containers and such. I notice my family will just toss it away because they think only cans and small bottles will get a return.
I support the bottle bill, I think it's made a huge difference in consumer habits. Cant wait for curbside recycling in my neighborhood! So much stuff we toss is recyclable, just gotta let people know IMO
On that note, I'm wondering where are the consumer electronics recycling places you mention, Mel? I only see them every now and then and can't usually make it to a one-day thing. Meanwhile the e-junk piles up.... thx thx
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