Elected officials in Illinois are mulling ah amendment to the state's e-scrap legislation that would lead to higher manufacturer recycling goals and protections for local governments. Introduced by Rep. Emily McAsey, a Democrat representing Illinois' 85th District, the legislation picked up four chief co-sponsors in recent weeks following a reading in the Illinois House Environmental Committee. "If some changes are not made, I'm concerned [some programs] will cease to be able to operate," McAsey said during the meeting, according to the Joliet, Illinois-based Herald News. "There's the possibility of widespread illegal dumping [of electronics]." Rep. McAsey did not return a request for comment. At its core, McAsey's amendment would signal three significant changes to the state program currently in place. The first change would be to double the current manufacturer recycling requirement from 50 percent to 100 percent of what each company sells in the state (individual manufacturer goals are based on sales of electronics in the state "two years before the applicable year," the law states). In addition, the legislation would stiffen the penalty against OEMs failing to reach that 100 percent goal. The legislation also aims to ensure recycling firms and collectors don't charge municipalities for collecting or taking material unless they offer specialized services, such as home pick-up.
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