NEPSI Discusses Recycling Used Electronics

Danielle Jackson

Tampa, Fla. -- The National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI), representing electronics manufacturers, government agencies and environmental groups, met formally for the third time Jan. 24-25, 2002, to continue discussions about developing a joint plan to manage used electronics in the United States.

The group hopes to create a voluntary national agreement that will unify a recycling plan and lower the costs associated with recycling. The 45 participants first met in San Francisco last April and came up with a primary goal –– to develop a "system, which includes a viable financing mechanism, to maximize the collection, re-use and recycling of all used electronics, while considering appropriate incentives to design products that facilitate source reduction, re-use and recycling; reduce toxicity; and increase recycled content."

NEPSI plans to meet three more times this year. The next meeting is scheduled for March in Washington, D.C.