In August 2001, The State of California Department of Toxic Substances classified
computer monitors and television sets, both containing cathode ray tubes (CRTs) as
hazardous materials and placed a ban on the landfilling of these electronic items. The State
ban currently applies only to CRTs but is expected to broaden in the near future. The
Authority expects to expand its current rate structure as that process continues.

A national effort is underway to share the responsibility for managing used electronic
equipment. The movement is called “National Electronic product Stewardship Initiative”
(NEPSI) and the approach is to share the management costs for used electronic equipment
between all those that benefit from the product.

The goal of NEPSI is to develop a national collection and recycling infrastructure that
would be funded with fees collected at the time the product is purchased. These funds
would be used to cover the costs of collecting and processing this equipment. Ideally, the
amount of the fee would be based upon the environmental features of the product. The
more environmentally friendly the product, the lower the fee. For more about product
stewardship and NRPSI visit http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/clean/nepsi/