IB 
Union Calendar No. 32 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1580 
[Report No. 111–75] 
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
award grants for electronic waste reduction research, development, and 
demonstration projects, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 18, 2009 
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. 
BAIRD, Mr. CARNAHAN, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
WU, and Mr. LUJA´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Science and Technology 
APRIL 21, 2009 
Additional sponsors: Mr. TONKO, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. 
WOOLSEY, Mr. SESTAK, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. MCMAHON, 
Mr. GRIFFITH, Mrs. DAHLKEMPER, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. 
BLUMENAUER, and Ms. BORDALLO 
APRIL 21, 2009 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 18, 2009] 
A BILL 
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency to award grants for electronic waste reduc-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:46 Apr 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H1580.RH
H1580
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
tion research, development, and demonstration projects, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Electronic Device Recy-
cling Research and Development Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The volume of electronic devices in the 
United States is substantial and will continue to 
grow. The Environmental Protection Agency esti-
mates that over 2 billion computers, televisions, wire-
less devices, printers, gaming systems, and other de-
vices have been sold since 1980, generating 2 million 
tons of unwanted electronic devices in 2005 alone. 
(2) Electronic devices can be refurbished or recy-
cled to recover and conserve valuable materials, such 
as gold, copper, and platinum. However, according to 
the Environmental Protection Agency, only 15 to 20 
percent of household generated electronic devices reach 
recyclers. 
(3) The electronic device recycling industry in 
the United States is growing; however, challenges re-
main for the recycling of electronic devices generated 
by households and other small generators. Collection 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:17 Apr 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1580.RH
H1580
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
of the electronic devices is expensive, and separation 
and proper recycling of some of the materials recov-
ered, like lead from cathode-ray tube televisions, is 
costly. 
(4) The export of electronic devices to developing 
countries also presents a serious challenge. The crude 
methods of many of the recycling operations in these 
countries can expose workers to harmful chemicals, 
jeopardizing their health and polluting the environ-
ment. 
(5) Some of the challenges to increasing the 
recyclability of electronic devices can be addressed by 
improving the logistics and technology of the collec-
tion and recycling process, designing electronic de-
vices to avoid the use of hazardous materials and to 
be more easily recycled, and encouraging the use of 
recycled materials in more applications. 
(6) The public currently does not take full ad-
vantage of existing electronic device recycling oppor-
tunities. Studying factors that influence behavior and 
educating consumers about responsible electronic recy-
cling could help communities and private industry 
develop recycling programs that draw more participa-
tion. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:17 Apr 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1580.RH
H1580
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
(7) The development of tools and technologies to 
increase the lifespan of electronic devices and to pro-
mote their safe re-use would decrease the impact of the 
production of electronic devices on the environment 
and likely increase the recyclability of such devices. 
(8) Accurately assessing the environmental im-
pacts of the production of electronic devices and the 
recycling of such devices is a complex task. Data, 
tools, and methods to better quantify these impacts 
would help policymakers and others determine the 
best end-of-life management options for electronic de-
vices. 
SEC. 3. ELECTRONIC DEVICE ENGINEERING RESEARCH, DE-
VELOPMENT, 
AND 
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall award 
multiyear grants to consortia to conduct research to create 
innovative and practical approaches to reduce the volume 
and manage the environmental impacts of electronic devices 
and, through the conduct of this research, to contribute to 
the professional development of scientists, engineers, and 
technicians in the fields of electronic device manufacturing, 
design, refurbishing, and recycling. The grants awarded 
under this section shall support research to— 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:17 Apr 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1580.RH
H1580
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
(1) increase the efficiency of and improve elec-
tronic device collection and recycling; 
(2) expand the uses and applications for mate-
rials recovered from electronic devices; 
(3) develop and demonstrate environmentally 
friendly alternatives to the use of hazardous and po-
tentially hazardous materials in electronic devices 
and the production of such devices; 
(4) develop methods to identify, separate, and re-
move hazardous and potentially hazardous materials 
from electronic devices and to re-use, recycle, or dis-
pose of such materials in a safe manner; 
(5) reconsider product design and assembly to fa-
cilitate and improve refurbishment, re-use, and recy-
cling of electronic devices, including an emphasis on 
design for recycling; 
(6) conduct lifecycle analyses of electronic de-
vices, including developing tools and methods to assess 
the environmental impacts of the production, use, and 
end-of-life management of electronic devices and elec-
tronic device components; 
(7) develop product design, tools, and techniques 
to extend the lifecycle of electronic devices, including 
methods to promote their upgrade and safe re-use; 
and 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:17 Apr 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1580.RH
H1580
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS