as introduced - 84th Legislature, 2005 1st Special Session (2005 - 2005) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
A bill for an act
relating to environment; providing for the recovery
and recycling of waste electronic products; providing
penalties; appropriating money; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116H.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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For the purposes of this chapter,
the following terms have the meanings given.
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"Cathode ray tube" or
"CRT" means a vacuum tube or picture tube used to convert an
electronic signal into a visual image. It is composed primarily
of glass, and is the video display component of a television or
computer monitor, and includes other items integrally attached
to the CRT.
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"Computer monitor" means an
electronic device that is a cathode ray tube or flat panel
display primarily intended to display information from a central
processing unit or the Internet. Computer monitor includes a
laptop computer.
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"Full truckload" means a
quantity weighing 17,500 pounds or more of video display devices.
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"Hennepin County study"
means the Hennepin County Consumer Electronics Brand Tally,
published January 2005.
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"Household" means an occupant of a
single detached dwelling unit or a single unit of a multiple
dwelling unit who has used a video display device at a dwelling
unit primarily for personal use.
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"Intermediate
consolidation point" means a facility in the state approved by
the Office of Environmental Assistance pursuant to section
116H.65, paragraph (d), clause (3), where local governments or a
private hauler or recycler with whom a local government has
contracted, and households can deliver for consolidation video
display devices generated by households and destined for
recycling, refurbishment, or reuse. The facility may be
operated by a private entity or a local unit of government, and
must be capable of consolidating a full truckload of video
display devices from households in accordance with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations,
and ordinances.
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"Manufacturer" means a person who:
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(1) manufactures video display devices to be sold under its
own brand as identified by its own brand label; or
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(2) sells video display devices manufactured by others
under its own brand as identified by its own brand label.
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Subd. 9.new text end [MANUFACTURER'S BRANDS.] new text begin "Manufacturer's brands"
means a manufacturer's name, brand name, or brand label, and all
manufacturers' names, brand names, and brand labels for which
the manufacturer has legal responsibility, including those
manufacturers' names, brand names, and brand labels of companies
that have been acquired by the manufacturer.
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"Office" means the Office of
Environmental Assistance.
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"Orphan waste" means a video
display device covered by this section for which (1) no
manufacturer can be identified; or (2) the manufacturer no
longer exists and no successor can be identified.
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"Pickup" means transporting for
recycling a full truckload of video display devices from
intermediate consolidation points.
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"Pro rata share" means the
proportion, multiplied by 100 and rounded up to one decimal
place, of the total weight of video display devices bearing the
manufacturer's brands registered by a registrant that is
received at intermediate consolidation points divided by the
total weight of video display devices received at intermediate
consolidation points, as determined by the sampling program at
intermediate consolidation points pursuant to section 116H.65,
paragraph (d), clause (1). The pro rata share for the first
program year shall be based on the Hennepin County study.
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"Recycling" means the preparation
of video display devices or their component materials for reuse
in their original form, including any repair or refurbishment
that may be performed, or the processing of video display
devices or their component materials to recover a usable product.
Processing does not include combustion for purposes of energy
recovery.
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"Registrant" means a manufacturer
that submits the registration required by section 116H.60,
paragraph (a), or an independent party that submits the
registration required by section 116H.60, paragraph (a), in lieu
of a manufacturer.
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"Sell" or "sale" means any
transfer for consideration of title or of the right to use, by
lease or sales contract, including, but not limited to,
transactions conducted through sales outlets, catalogs, or the
Internet, or any other similar electronic means either inside or
outside of the state, by a person who conducts the transaction
and controls the delivery of a video display device to a
consumer in the state, but does not include a wholesale
transaction with a distributor or a retailer.
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"Television" means an electronic
device that is a cathode ray tube or flat panel display
primarily intended to receive video programming via broadcast,
cable, or satellite transmission or video from surveillance or
other similar cameras.
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"Video display device"
means a computer monitor or television with a screen size
greater than eight inches measured diagonally. This does not
include a video display device that is part of or contained in a
motor vehicle; industrial, commercial, or medical equipment; or
any appliance.
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(a) On and after July 1, 2006, a retailer or manufacturer
may not sell or offer for sale a new video display device to any
person in the state unless:
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(1) the video display device is labeled with the
manufacturer's brand, which label is permanently affixed and
readily visible; and
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(2) the video display device is subject to a registration
filed by a registrant with the office according to this section,
with the registration effective upon receipt by the office.
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(b) A retailer or manufacturer who sells or offers for sale
a new video display device to a consumer in this state must,
before initial offer for sale of the device, complete, sign, and
maintain on-site a copy of a certification form that is
available on the office's Web site that certifies that the
retailer or manufacturer has reviewed the office's Web site
specified in paragraph (i), and has determined that all new
video display devices that the retailer or manufacturer is then
offering for sale are labeled with manufacturers' brands that
are subject to registration statements filed with the office. A
retailer is not responsible for an unlawful sale under this
paragraph if the registration expired or was revoked and the
retailer took possession of the video display device prior to
the expiration or revocation of the registration and the
unlawful sale occurred within six months after the expiration or
revocation.
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(c) By February 1, 2006, a manufacturer of video display
devices sold to a consumer in this state must submit a
registration to the office that includes a certification that a
registrant will participate in the intermediate consolidation
point program as specified in paragraph (n) beginning July 1,
2006. A manufacturer who begins to sell or offer for sale video
display devices after February 1, 2006, and has not filed a
registration pursuant to this section must submit a registration
to the office within ten days of beginning to sell or offer for
sale video display devices to consumers in the state. The
registration is effective upon receipt by the office.
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(d) The registration must list the manufacturer's brands.
The registration must be updated within ten days after a change
in the manufacturer's brands, such as in the event of an
acquisition, merger, or divestiture.
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(e) A registrant may partner with one or more manufacturers
or other parties, collectively a "registrant," to prepare and
submit to the office a joint video display device recycling
program, but each manufacturer must pay a separate annual fee,
as set forth in paragraph (f).
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(f) Each manufacturer who registers under this section must
pay an annual fee which is deposited in an electronic waste
account established in the environmental fund. The fee is equal
to $2,000 multiplied by the manufacturer's pro rata share of
video display devices as determined under section 116H.55,
subdivision 13. A manufacturer registered under this section
whose pro rata share is less than 0.25 percent must pay a
minimum fee of $500. Money in the electronic waste account is
appropriated to the office for the purpose of administering the
program.
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(g) The office shall develop procedures to administer and
implement the program and shall present them to the legislature
by January 15, 2006.
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(h) The office must review each registration and notify the
registrant if the registration does not include the information
required by this section. Within 30 days of receipt of a
notification from the office, the registrant must file with the
office a revised registration providing the information noted by
the office.
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(i) The office must maintain on its Web site the names of
the registrants and the manufacturers' brands that are listed in
registrations filed with the office. The office must update the
Web site information promptly upon receipt of a new registration
or an updated registration.
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(j) The office must maintain on its Web site a
certification form that a retailer or manufacturer may download
that certifies that all new video display devices offered for
sale by the retailer or manufacturer are labeled with
manufacturers' brands that are subject to registration
statements filed with the office.
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(k) The obligations of a manufacturer or registrant apply
only to video display devices received from households in this
state and do not apply to video display devices received from
owners other than households. Except to the extent otherwise
required by law, persons recycling a video display device
delivered to an intermediate consolidation point have no
responsibility for any data that may be on the video display
device if an information storage device is included with the
video display device.
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(l) A city, county, or other public agency may not require
households to use the intermediate consolidation point program
to recycle their video display devices to the exclusion of other
programs legally available. This chapter anticipates that video
display device recycling programs, in addition to those provided
by manufacturers and registrants under this section, will be
available to households in the state. Nothing in this chapter
prohibits or restricts any such programs or prohibits or
restricts any persons from receiving, storing, transporting, or
recycling video display devices.
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(m) By October 1 of each year, each registrant must submit
a report to the office that describes the implementation of the
program during the preceding program year. The program year is
July 1 through June 30. The first report must be submitted by
October 1, 2007. The report must:
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(1) identify the total weight of the video display devices
that the registrant has arranged for pickup from intermediate
consolidation points during the preceding year, and the total
weight of video display devices that the registrant has received
from households through other methods during the preceding year
and for which the registrant has used such video display devices
to satisfy all or a portion of its pro rata share responsibility
during the preceding year; and
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(2) describe the processes and methods used to recycle
video display devices that the registrant has arranged for
pickup from intermediate collection points during the preceding
year and that the registrant has received from households
through other methods, and for which the registrant has used the
video display devices to satisfy all or a portion of its pro
rata share responsibility during the preceding year; and, in
particular, identify any disassembly, physical recovery
operation including crushing, shredding, grinding, or glass to
glass recycling, or any other operation that was used and
describe where it took place. The report must also discuss
whether these activities included procedures described in the
United States Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines for
the environmentally sound management of electronic equipment.
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(n) Participation in the intermediate consolidation point
program requires that a registrant must:
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(1) arrange for the pickup and recycling of a full
truckload or truckloads of video display devices received by
intermediate consolidation points after July 1, 2006, up to the
registrant's pro rata share of video display devices, from
intermediate consolidation points, under procedures developed
under paragraph (g). Registrants are responsible for the costs
of pickup and recycling of the video display devices. A
registrant may satisfy a portion or all of its pro rata share
responsibility by receipt of video display devices from
households through other methods if the registrant has not
charged for the recycling of the video display devices that the
registrant has received from households in this state through
the other methods. A registrant who intends to satisfy a
portion or all of its pro rata share responsibility by receipt
of the video display devices from households through other
methods must provide the office with a report of its receipt of
video display devices through the other methods on a quarterly
basis; and
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(2) arrange for the pickup and recycling of the
registrant's pro rata share of orphan waste by weight from
intermediate consolidation points, pursuant to procedures
developed under paragraph (g). Registrants are responsible for
the costs of pickup and recycling of the video display devices.
A registrant may satisfy a portion or all of its pro rata share
responsibility by receipt of video display devices from
households through other methods if the registrant has not
charged for the recycling of the video display devices.
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(o) After receipt of the report required by paragraph (m)
to be filed on October 1, 2009, the office must review the
performance of the program and may issue performance standards
related to the number of units collected per household.
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(a) The office must administer this chapter.
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(b) The office must establish procedures for:
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(1) receipt and maintenance of the registration statements
and certifications filed with the office pursuant to section
116H.60; and
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(2) making the statements and certifications easily
available to registrants, manufacturers, distributors,
retailers, and members of the public.
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(c) On or before December 1, 2010, and every three years
thereafter, the office must provide a report to the governor and
the legislature on the implementation of this chapter. For each
of the preceding three program years, the report must discuss
the total weight of video display devices received by all
registrants from intermediate consolidation points, the total
weight of video display devices received by each registrant from
intermediate consolidation points, the total weight of video
display devices that the registrant has received from households
through other methods during the preceding year and which the
registrant has used to satisfy all or a portion of its pro rata
share responsibility during the preceding year, and a summary of
information in the report submitted by registrants pursuant to
section 116H.60, paragraph (m). The report must also discuss
the various collection programs used to collect video display
devices and information received by the office regarding video
display devices that are not being collected by the
registrants. The report must include a description of
enforcement actions under this chapter and information about
video display devices, if any, being disposed of in landfills in
this state. The office may include in its report other
information received by the office regarding the implementation
of this chapter.
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(d) The office must administer the intermediate
consolidation point program as described in clauses (1) to (6).
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(1) The office must calculate pro rata shares for video
display devices on an annual program year basis for each
registrant. Pro rata shares for the first program year must be
determined by the office by May 1, 2006, using the Hennepin
County study. For each subsequent year, pro rata shares must be
determined by May 1 of the preceding year based upon an annual
sampling survey conducted by the office at intermediate
consolidation points during that preceding year. The sampling
survey must identify televisions and computer monitors
separately, and calculate the weight of televisions and computer
monitors separately. The office may provide registrants with
projections or estimates of the amount by weight of video
display devices for which the registrant may be responsible
during a given program year.
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(2) The office must establish, under procedures developed
under section 116H.60, paragraph (g), a system to coordinate
among registrants pickups from intermediate consolidation points
after an intermediate consolidation point has notified the
office that a full truckload of video display devices from
households or from local units of government that have collected
video display devices from households has been consolidated. A
registrant, before dispatching a truck to an intermediate
consolidation point for pickup, shall contact the intermediate
consolidation point to ascertain the truck capacity needed and
estimated pickup time. For each pickup, a registrant shall be
credited 17,500 pounds towards its pro rata share or the actual
weight of video display devices, whichever is greater. The
office must provide a program year accounting of the extent to
which each registrant met its pro rata share responsibility as
established pursuant to section 116H.60, paragraph (n), and
methods for addressing amounts greater than or less than a
registrant's pro rata share responsibility that were picked up
and recycled by a registrant during the program year.
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(3) By February 1, 2006, the office must receive
applications for the establishment of intermediate consolidation
points. The director must seek to receive at least 15
applications with at least ten of the applications from outside
the metropolitan area. By April 30, 2006, the office must
establish a list of approved intermediate consolidation points
and must provide the list on its Web site.
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(4) Applications for the establishment of intermediate
consolidation points must specify any method that will be used
to ensure that video display devices will be collected only from
households or that video display devices from households will be
segregated from other video display devices.
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(5) An application to establish an intermediate
consolidation point must include:
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(i) the geographic location served;
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(ii) projected quantities of video display devices to be
collected;
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(iii) financial data demonstrating the economic viability
of the facility;
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(iv) proposed hours of operation; and
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(v) a plan to promote the facility in the community and to
educate consumers regarding its operations.
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(6) An applicant seeking to establish an intermediate
consolidation point shall include with the application
certification that the applicant agrees:
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(i) not to recycle video display devices unless the
applicant has signed a contract with one or more registrants to
recycle video display devices delivered to the intermediate
consolidation point; and
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(ii) not to accept video display devices from haulers or
recyclers that appear to the operator of the intermediate
consolidation point to have been recycled prior to shipment to
the intermediate consolidation point.
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(e) The office may contract with a third party to perform
one or more of the office's duties set forth in this paragraph
with respect to intermediate consolidation points. The contract
must specify that the third party's activities must be carried
out in accord with the procedures developed in section 116H.60,
paragraph (g).
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(a) The Department of Administration must ensure that
acquisitions of video display devices under chapter 16C are
certified by the vendor to be in compliance with section 116H.60.
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(b) The bid solicitation documents must specify that the
prospective bidder is required to cooperate fully in providing
reasonable access to its records and documents that evidence
compliance with paragraph (a) and section 116H.60.
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(c) Any person awarded a contract under chapter 16C for
purchase or lease of video display devices that is found to be
in violation of paragraph (a) or section 116H.60, is subject to
the following sanctions:
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(1) the contract must be voided;
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(2) the contractor is ineligible to bid on any state
contract for a period of three years; and
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(3) if the attorney general establishes that any money,
property, or benefit was obtained by a contractor as a result of
violating paragraph (a) or section 116H.60, the court may, in
addition to any other remedy, order the disgorgement of the
unlawfully obtained money, property, or benefit.
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If the United States Environmental Protection Agency adopts
regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
regarding the handling, storage, or treatment of cathode ray
tube devices or video display devices being recycled, those
regulations are automatically effective in this state on the
same date and supersede any rules previously adopted by the
office or the Pollution Control Agency regarding the handling,
storage, or treatment of cathode ray tube devices or video
display devices being recycled.
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This chapter shall be enforced in the manner provided by
sections 115.071, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and 116.072.
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This chapter expires if a federal law, or combination of
federal laws, takes effect that is applicable to all video
display devices sold in the United States and establishes a
program for the collection and recycling of video display
devices that is applicable to all video display devices
discarded by households.
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