(8) identify the social, behavioral, and economic 
barriers to recycling and re-use for electronic devices 
and develop strategies to increase awareness, con-
sumer acceptance, and the practice of responsible re-
cycling and re-use for such devices. 
(b) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION.—Grants shall be 
awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competi-
tive basis. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—A consortium shall submit an ap-
plication for a grant under this section to the Adminis-
trator at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information and assurances as the Administrator may re-
quire. The application shall include a description of— 
(1) the research project that will be undertaken 
by the consortium and the contributions of each of the 
participating entities, including the for-profit entity; 
(2) the applicability of the project to reduce im-
pediments to electronic recycling in the electronic de-
vice design, manufacturing, refurbishing, or recycling 
industries; 
(3) the potential for and feasibility of incor-
porating the research results into industry practice; 
and 
(4) how the project will promote collaboration 
among scientists and engineers from different dis-
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ciplines, such as electrical engineering, materials 
science, and social science. 
(d) DISSEMINATION
OF RESEARCH RESULTS.—Re-
search results shall be made publicly available through— 
(1) development of best practices or training ma-
terials for use in the electronics manufacturing, de-
sign, refurbishing, or recycling industries; 
(2) dissemination at conferences affiliated with 
such industries; 
(3) publication on the Environmental Protection 
Agency’s website; 
(4) demonstration projects; or 
(5) educational materials for the public produced 
in conjunction with State governments, local govern-
ments, or nonprofit organizations on problems and 
solutions related to electronic waste. 
(e) FUNDING CONTRIBUTION FROM FOR-PROFIT MEM-
BER OF CONSORTIUM.—The for-profit entity participating 
in the consortium shall contribute at least 10 percent of the 
total research project cost, either directly or with in-kind 
contributions. 
(f) PROTECTION OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.— 
The Administrator— 
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(1) shall not disclose any proprietary informa-
tion or trade secrets provided by any person or entity 
pursuant to this section; 
(2) shall ensure that, as a condition of receipt of 
a grant under this section, each member of the consor-
tium has in place proper protections to maintain 
proprietary information or trade secrets contributed 
by other members of the consortium; and 
(3) if any member of the consortium breaches the 
conditions under paragraph (2) or discloses propri-
etary information or trade secrets, may require the 
return of any funds received under this section by 
such member. 
(g) BIENNIAL REPORT.—Within 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the 
Administrator shall transmit a report to Congress that pro-
vides— 
(1) a list of the grants awarded under this sec-
tion; 
(2) the entities participating in each consortium 
receiving a grant; 
(3) a description of the research projects carried 
out in whole or in part with funds made available 
under such a grant; 
(4) the results of such research projects; and 
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(5) a description of the rate and success of the 
adoption or integration of such research results into 
the manufacturing processes, management practices, 
and products of the electronics industry. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry 
out this section: 
(1) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
(3) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REPORT ON 
ELECTRONIC DEVICE RECYCLING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to better recognize gaps 
and opportunities in the research and training programs 
established in this Act, the Administrator shall enter into 
an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for 
a report, to be transmitted to Congress not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, on— 
(1) opportunities for and barriers to— 
(A) increasing the recyclability of electronic 
devices, specifically addressing— 
(i) recycling or safe disposal of elec-
tronic devices and low value materials re-
covered from such devices; 
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(ii) designing electronic devices to fa-
cilitate re-use and recycling; and 
(iii) the re-use of electronic devices; 
and 
(B) making electronic devices safer and 
more environmentally friendly, specifically ad-
dressing reducing the use of hazardous materials 
and potentially hazardous materials in electronic 
devices; 
(2) the environmental and human health risks 
posed by the storage, transport, recycling, and dis-
posal of electronic devices; 
(3) the current status of research and training 
programs to promote the environmental design of elec-
tronic devices to increase the recyclability of such de-
vices; and 
(4) any regulatory or statutory barriers that 
may prevent the adoption or implementation of best 
management practices or technological innovations 
that may arise from the research and training pro-
grams established in this Act. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report under subsection 
(a) shall identify gaps in the current research and training 
programs in addressing the opportunities, barriers, and 
risks relating to electronic device recycling, and the report 
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shall recommend areas where additional research and devel-
opment resources are needed to reduce the impact of elec-
tronic devices on the environment. 
SEC. 
5. 
ENGINEERING 
CURRICULUM 
DEVELOPMENT 
GRANTS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with the Director of the National Science Founda-
tion, shall award grants to institutions of higher education 
to develop curricula that incorporates the principles of envi-
ronmental design into the development of electronic de-
vices— 
(1) for the training of electrical, mechanical, in-
dustrial, manufacturing, materials, and software en-
gineers and other students at the undergraduate and 
graduate level; and 
(2) to support the continuing education of pro-
fessionals in the electronic device manufacturing, de-
sign, refurbishing, or recycling industries. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The term ‘‘institution of 
higher education’’, as such term is used with respect to eligi-
bility to receive a grant under subsection (a)(2), includes 
any institution of higher education under section 101(b) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(b)). 
(c) OUTREACH
TO
MINORITY
SERVING
INSTITU-
TIONS.—The Administrator shall conduct outreach to mi-
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nority serving institutions for the purposes of providing in-
formation on the grants available under this section and 
how to apply for such grants. 
(d) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION.—Grants shall be 
awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competi-
tive basis. 
(e) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this sec-
tion shall be used for activities that enhance the ability of 
an institution of higher education to broaden the under-
graduate and graduate-level engineering curriculum or pro-
fessional continuing education curriculum to include envi-
ronmental engineering design principles and consideration 
of product life cycles related to electronic devices and in-
creasing the recyclability of such devices. Activities may in-
clude— 
(1) developing and revising curriculum to in-
clude multidisciplinary elements; 
(2) creating research and internship opportuni-
ties for students through partnerships with industry, 
nonprofit organizations, or government agencies; 
(3) creating and establishing certificate pro-
grams; and 
(4) developing curricula for short courses and 
continuing education for professionals in the environ-
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mental design of electronic devices to increase the 
recyclability of such devices. 
(f) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher education 
seeking a grant under this section shall submit an applica-
tion to the Administrator at such time, in such manner, 
and with such information and assurances as the Adminis-
trator may require. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry 
out this section: 
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(2) $5,150,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
(3) $5,304,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE MATE-
RIALS PHYSICAL PROPERTY DATABASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish an ini-
tiative to develop a comprehensive physical property data-
base for environmentally friendly alternative materials for 
use in electronic devices. 
(b) PRIORITIES.—The Director, working with the elec-
tronic device design, manufacturing, or recycling indus-
tries, shall develop a strategic plan to establish priorities 
and the physical property characterization requirements for 
the database described in subsection (a). 
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(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry 
out this section: 
(1) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(2) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
(3) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) 
CONSORTIUM.—The 
term 
‘‘consortium’’ 
means a grant applicant or recipient under section 
3(a) that includes— 
(A) at least one institution of higher edu-
cation, nonprofit research institution, or govern-
ment laboratory; and 
(B) at least one for-profit entity, including 
a manufacturer, designer, refurbisher, or recycler 
of electronic devices or the components of such 
devices. 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology. 
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(4) ELECTRONIC DEVICE.—The term ‘‘electronic 
device’’ may include computers, computer monitors, 
televisions, laptops, printers, wireless devices, copiers, 
fax machines, stereos, video gaming systems, and the 
components of such devices. 
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(6) MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTION.—The term 
‘‘minority serving institution’’ means an institution 
that is an eligible institution under section 371(a) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1067q(a)). 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to authorize 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy to award grants for electronic device recycling re-
search, development, and demonstration projects, and for 
other purposes.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 32 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1580 
[Report No. 111–75] 
A BILL 
To authorize the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency to award grants for 
electronic waste reduction research, development, 
and demonstration projects, and for other pur-
poses. 
APRIL 21, 2009 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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