Maine seeks to repeal e-waste law

Paul LePage, the newly-elected governor of Maine, recently announced that he wishes to adjust, and in some cases repeal, the state’s e-waste law.

He wants to first abolish the Board of Environmental Protection and then replace it with an administrative law judge system. This would abolish most state regulations, causing Maine to follow federal regulations instead. However, e-waste laws in the United States don’t exist on a federal level.

Maine was the first state in the nation to create an electronic waste recycling program, a law that was signed in 2004. It would be a giant step back if Maine repealed this law.

LePage claims that this move will benefit electronics manufacturers and retailers, but is it worth the harmful effects on the environment?

At All Green, we hope that Maine continues to recycle responsibly.