Contact: Ellen C. O’ConnorFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
717-845-1066 orDecember 18, 2015
York County Solid Waste Authority’s Electronics Recycling
Program Suspended Until Further NoticeAfter
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 questionsabout 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 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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