Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill that will force television manufacturers to take back and recycle old televisions.
Environmentalists in the state praised passage of the law. A similar bill was vetoed in 2009.
“This bill is the long-awaited companion to the computer take-back law that Governor Perry signed in 2007,” said Robin Schneider, executive director of the Texas Campaign for the Environment, in a statement. “TV take-back in Texas is long overdue, so this law is a crucial step toward bringing free and convenient recycling to all Texans.”
The group said an estimated 25 million televisions are disposed of each year throughout the country.
Senate Bill 329 requires manufactures selling televisions in Texas to offer free recycling programs for Texas residents. The Consumer Electronics Association, which represents more than 2,000 electronic companies, supported the bill.
According to the organization, 24 other states have passed similar laws for electronic recycling and 20 of them cover computers and televisions.
Source: Plastic News.com
By Jeremy Carroll