(California) Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003

The Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 established California's pioneering framework for electronic waste management, implementing a consumer-paid recycling fee system and restrictions on hazardous materials in electronic devices.

The Act created the Covered Electronic Waste (CEW) Recycling Programme, which implements a fee-based system ranging from USD 4 to USD 6 on covered electronic devices (CEDs) based on screen size. These fees, collected by retailers and managed by the state, fund the recycling infrastructure. The legislation also introduced California's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS), limiting the use of toxic materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in electronic devices. Manufacturers must annually demonstrate their efforts to reduce toxic substances, increase recyclable materials usage, and conduct consumer outreach programmes.

Senate Bill (SB) 1215 expanded the scope of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 to include covered battery-embedded products (CBEPs), addressing the growing challenge of disposing of devices with built-in batteries. Beginning in 2026, the legislation incorporated CBEPs into the existing CEW Recycling Programme framework. Consumers will pay a fee when purchasing products containing batteries that cannot be easily removed, similar to the current system for covered electronic devices. These fees will support the proper recycling and disposal of these products throughout California. 

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