Contact: Ellen C. O’Connor
717-845-1066 or
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2015
York County Solid Waste Authority’s Electronics Recycling
Program Suspended Until Further Notice After
the December 19th Collection Program
Due to problems created by the Pennsylvania State Law (Act 108) that requires the
recycling of electronics, the York County Solid Waste Authority is forced to suspend Electronics
Recycling in York County until further notice. This suspension also applies to municipal satellite
programs previously conducted in the following municipalities: Carroll, Fairview, Hopewell,
Penn, Shrewsbury, Warrington, Dover, Fawn, Lower Windsor and Windsor Townships, as well
as Stewartstown Borough and the City of York. Residents should contact their municipality
directly with any questions about those programs.
Act 108 has created an imbalance of supply and demand which makes it economically
prohibitive for electronics recycling vendors to operate in Pennsylvania. This situation has been
happening across Pennsylvania and has resulted in many PA counties discontinuing their
electronics recycling programs. The Authority had secured an electronics recycler for 2016, but
on December 17, 2015 they informed the Authority they would not be able to service the
program.
Residents and businesses should hold on to electronic devices until a new program can
be implemented. The Authority is working on a sustainable solution to address the proper
management of electronics waste. Specific electronics waste currently banned from PA waste
disposal facilities include: televisions, desktop and laptop computers, computer monitors and
computer peripherals (anything that connects to a computer such as a mouse, keyboard,
printer, etc.). This disposal ban, coupled with the insufficient funding mechanisms for recycling
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established in the law, have together undermined the economic viability of electronics waste
recycling in Pennsylvania. The Authority is working with state officials to encourage changes to
the Act to enable sustainable recycling of electronics in York County. Residents may also
contact Best Buy to determine if their electronics can be accepted there.
Act 108 needs to change. PLEASE voice your concerns by contacting the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection at 717-787-7382 and your state legislative
representatives. For more information on the issue you can go to www.ycswa.com or call the
Authority at 717-845-1066.
The Authority established a one day annual electronics recycling program in 2002 and
continued it through 2008. A monthly program was established in 2009. In 2012,
municipalities were invited to piggyback onto the Authority’s program to establish satellite
electronics sites throughout York County. Eleven municipalities currently participate. In 2013
Act 108, the Covered Device Recycling Act, went into effect. Electronic recycling in York County
jumped from 820,000 pounds in 2012 to 3,000,000 pounds in 2014. Due to the significant
increase in participation of the Authority’s Electronics Program the program was expanded to
two times each month. However, full implementation of Act 108 2013 has undermined
Pennsylvania’s electronics waste recycling programs.
The Authority facilitates responsible solid waste management through an integrated
system that emphasizes waste reduction, reuse, recycling and resource recovery. The Authority
is the owner of the York County Resource Recovery Center in Manchester Township. The
Resource Recovery Center manages York County’s household and commercial waste, as well as
some manufacturing waste.
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