Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §1609 is enacted to read:

§1609.__Electronic waste

1.__Findings; purpose.__The Legislature finds that the establishment of a system to provide for the collection and recycling of electronic devices in this State is consistent with its duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens, enhance and maintain the quality of the environment, conserve natural resources and prevent air, water and land pollution.__The Legislature further finds that such a system is consistent with the overall state solid waste management policy including its intent to pursue and implement an integrated approach to solid waste management and to aggressively promote waste reduction, reuse and recycling as the preferred methods of waste management.

The Legislature finds that the purpose of this section is to establish a comprehensive electronics recycling system that ensures the safe and environmentally sound handling, recycling and disposal of electronic products and components and encourages the design of electronic products and components that are less toxic and more recyclable.

The Legislature further finds that it is the purpose of this section to establish an electronics recycling system that is convenient and minimizes cost to the consumer of electronic products and components.__It is the intent of the Legislature that manufacturers of electronic products and components will be responsible for ensuring proper handling, recycling and disposal of discarded products and that costs associated with consolidation, handling and recycling be internalized by the manufacturers of electronic products and components before the point of purchase.

The Legislature further finds that the manufacturers of electronic products and components should reduce and, to the extent feasible, ultimately phase out the use of hazardous materials in these products.

The Legislature further finds that a system of shared responsibility for the collection and recycling of covered electronic devices among manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consumers and other parties is the most effective and equitable means of achieving the purposes of this section.__Manufacturers of electronic devices and components, in working to achieve the goals and objectives of this section, should have the flexibility to act in partnership with each other, with state, municipal and