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Will County committee backs state bills to extend and simplify e-waste recycling program
Summary
Will County Legislative Committee voted to support Illinois House Bill 3098 and Senate Bill 2414 to extend and adjust the stateelectronic-waste recycling framework, including a five-year sunset, relaxed item and truck-weight rules, and expanded eligibility for small businesses and institutions.
The Will County Legislative Committee voted to support Illinois House Bill 3098 and Senate Bill 2414, measures that would update the state's consumer electronics recycling program and extend manufacturer responsibility rules that are due to lapse.
The measures, described to the committee by Marta Keane, Will County recycling specialist, would renew and revise the law first enacted in 2007. Keane told the committee the existing program is effectively sunsetting and said the new bills would add a five-year sunset provision, allow collection of up to seven items per individual or business participant at events, and remove a truck-weight penalty that has discouraged smaller counties from joining the program. "We passed the first bills in 02/2007," Keane said, "and that is sunsetting. So we need to get this passed." She added the latest senate change asks for a five-year sunset and that the revised language would make it easier for more counties to opt in.
Keane also said the bills would treat certain small businesses, churches and schools the same as residents for collection purposes and would eliminate an 18,000-pound minimum-truck-weight fine that has kept some counties from participating. "We're not gonna worry about whether it's coming from a business or it's coming from a residence at that point," she said, adding the change would allow better statewide coverage.
After the presentation, Member O'Gala moved to support the bills; Member Berkowitz seconded. A roll-call vote recorded O'Gala, Berkowitz, Polak, Hickey and Chair Ortiz voting yes and the motion carried.
Committee members and staff said the bills aim to restore statewide continuity and reduce operational barriers to collection events. The committee's support will be forwarded to Will County's state lobbyists for follow-up with legislators. The committee did not specify funding changes at the county level; implementation details such as county-level costs or manufacturer fee structures were not specified during the meeting.
The committee's action means Will County will formally notify state lawmakers of the board's support while the bills move through the legislative process.
