Advanced Recovery Fee
An Advanced Recovery Fee is a regulatory fee added to the final sale price of an item in order to discourage the improper disposal of certain products and to curb the introduction of certain materials into the waste stream.
ARFs have a direct impact on the environment by reducing the amount of toxic e-waste that ends up in landfills and other inappropriate disposal.
Advanced Recovery Fee: The Model
Under the advanced recovery fee model, a person cannot legally discard mobile phones, batteries, desktop and laptop computers, copy and fax machines, printers, TVs, cables, VCRs, or other electronic devices through any means other than recycling.
That’s because, when these products get tossed into a landfill, the toxic elements contained inside them often seep into the soil and local water supply, posing a danger not only to the environment but also to human health.
The recycling fee for various products may vary, and it depends on the size and use of the product. A flat-screen TV, for example, could come with a fee of between $4 and $12.
Some say this model is one-sided because it only incentivizes the consumer not to use hazardous materials, not the manufacturers. At present, the only state to adopt an ARF system is California.
ARF: How Does it Work?
This fee assists the state with the costs of safely recycling harmful devices. These types of items, like televisions and computer monitors, contain toxic materials.
The revenue generated from this system helps to dispose of these products correctly to not expel pollutants into the air.
This legislative instrument has come up with a way to fund recycling and waste management on a large scale. It shifts some of the responsibility from the business that sells the items to the owners as well. It has to be a collaborative effort to be successful.
The policy also created an incentive for others to recycle because a deposit comes with imported or manufactured products that fit the bill. This additional fee is usually a part of the overall sale price.
When you return the item to the deposit location, the initial deposit gets returned to the consumer who made the purchase. A small portion of that deposit goes to the government so that they can pay for the collection, transportation, and processing of the item.
An advanced recovery fee system has shown success globally, and it encourages the proper recovery for certain goods. It also guarantees that governments have the proper amount of money to pay for disposal to avoid the items going into a landfill.
California is currently the only state with a mandated ARF, but other states utilize the extended manufacturer’s responsibility clause.
Benefits of the Advanced Recovery Fees
Here are the outcomes of the Advanced Recovery Fee system:
- It develops a feasible way to pay for the costs of recycling and waste management.
- One small fee to manufacture or import products with video displays gets passed on for inclusion in the sale price. The consumer receives a refund when they return the product at the end of its life.
- The funds that the government receives from the consumer’s deposit contribute to the proper recovery and recycling of a product and any off-shore shipping.
- It creates a sense of shared responsibility that doesn’t fall to only the importer but also the consumer to be responsible for waste management tactics.
- This system becomes a self-sustaining recycling fund that does not rely on money from the government.
- It makes the overall process cheaper because consumers have to return the products. That cuts down on the recovery costs as the designated officials go directly to the businesses themselves and not all around the city.
The Future of E-Waste Recycling
Though California is currently the only state that has instituted ARFs to encourage e-waste recycling, that may change in the near future. Regardless of if your home state adopts the ARF model, however, the fact remains that the improper disposal of e-waste is a serious problem for people all across America, as well as around the world.
Newtech Recycling is committed to battling the harmful effects of e-waste on human health. That’s why we offer electronics collection and disposal services that are convenient, affordable, and responsible. To learn how Netech Recycling can help you, contact us today!
Related Terms: Electronic Recycling, Software Destruction, DEC