Guest Post By Briana Hilton
Electronics waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the U.S.. In fact, each person discards around 46 pounds of electronics, including old laptops and phones, every year. This e-waste is toxic, and leaches chemicals like mercury and lead into the soil and water, which poses risks to human health. To combat this, Pennsylvania and New York are pushing for legislation (SB856 and SB6393) that forces electronics manufacturers to improve access to recycling for residents. Meanwhile, Texas’ new Right to Repair law (HB2963) empowers people to fix their broken devices instead of throwing them away. This helps devices last longer and reduces waste. These efforts show how states can use policy to drive positive change and encourage sustainable electronics use.
Pennsylvania to hold manufacturers accountable for e-waste
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 856 aims to launch a new e-waste recycling program in the state, where electronics manufacturers would take responsibility for increasing recycling rates for their products. Manufacturers are required to set up e-waste collection sites, with more of these sites established in counties with bigger populations. They must also share reports of their recycling plans and practices each year and make an effort to check the electronics they make actually do get recycled. The Department of Environmental Protection would manage the program, with input from a newly-formed Advisory Committee on Electronic Waste Recycling. This committee would include local representatives and electronics manufacturers, and help with the enforcement of regulations. Manufacturers and recyclers who don’t comply with the program could also face fines of up to $10,000.
SB856 updates Pennsylvania’s current e-waste law, the Covered Device Recycling Act, and amends Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the state’s statutes specifically. CDRA requires electronics manufacturers to provide free recycling options for consumers, but has fallen somewhat short in practice. Only about 23% of Pennsylvania residents have easy access to these recycling services. This, combined with lax enforcement in general, has meant a lot of the state’s e-waste isn’t properly recycled. To fix this problem, the bill was introduced on June 18th 2025, and is currently under consideration by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. If it passes, the recycling program is scheduled to begin on March 31st 2026.
Texas’ “Right to Repair” law boosts sustainability and cost savings
Texas has just made it easier for its residents to fix their own electronics thanks to House Bill 2963. Manufacturers are now required to share information, tools, and spare parts with consumers and independent repair shops so they can fix their devices. This will extend the lifespan of electronic devices, which in turn should reduce the huge amount of e-waste the state currently generates (612,000 tonnes per year). The bill was signed into law on June 20th 2025, and will take effect on September 1st 2026. It’ll apply to electronic devices that cost over $50 at wholesale, and only to devices sold in Texas from that date onwards.
The right to repair is also a win for businesses, as they can now fix broken electronics easily and affordably in-house or through independent repair providers. Small and medium-sized businesses can save around $2,700 per laptop by repairing or upgrading older devices instead of replacing them outright. Repaired devices can be redeployed, so businesses don’t need to keep buying new ones, and can make the most out of their existing IT equipment.
New York’s bill to educate consumers on e-waste recycling
New York’s Senate Bill 6393 emphasizes the need for consumer education in e-waste recycling. The bill would have electronics manufacturers and collection sites develop their own public education programs to teach New York residents about their e-waste disposal options. These programs would use ads, product information, post-purchase notifications, websites, and press releases to reach consumers. The bill also requires manufacturers to establish e-waste drop-off locations throughout the state. The goal is for nearly all New Yorkers to have an e-waste collection site within a fifteen-mile radius of their home. Currently, drop-off sites are few and far between, and available return-by-mail e-waste recycling options are often impractical, particularly for large electronic items like computers and TVs.
Manufacturers will also have to organize collection events throughout the year; how frequent these are depends on county population size. Collection site officers will report manufacturers that don’t follow these rules, and the Department of Environmental Conservation will investigate. For now, the bill is stalled in the Senate Rules Committee with no further action taken this session.
State legislation has evolved to encourage responsible electronics use that reduces e-waste. Pennsylvania’s SB856 and New York’s SB6393 aim to improve access to recycling and raise consumer awareness. On the other hand, Texas’ HB2963 gives people the right to repair devices and extend their lifespan. Either way, these bills show how states are creating a more sustainable method to manage electronics and waste.
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