IPC Disappointed by Failure of Negotiated Rulemaking Aimed at Encouraging Recycling of Manufacturing Byproducts

IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries® is disappointed by the failure of a federal advisory committee to reach agreement on a plan to encourage recycling of manufacturing byproducts.

Under the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act (LSCA), which was passed by Congress in 2016 with bipartisan support, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was directed to establish a “negotiated rulemaking committee” aimed at reducing the reporting requirements for byproducts sent for recycling. Two of the panel members represented the electronics industry, including Fern Abrams, IPC’s director of regulatory affairs.

After three official meetings in recent months, the committee today decided to end its work after it became clear that no consensus would be reached.

“IPC appreciates the EPA’s thoughtful participation and contributions to the process, and we are disappointed that the committee was unable to reach a consensus that would have encouraged recycling,” said Abrams.

IPC strongly supported the goal of the negotiated rulemaking, having worked for years to reduce requirements that discourage the recycling of inorganic byproducts by requiring duplicative reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

IPC and other industry representatives participated in good faith, offering several meaningful proposals that would have allowed EPA to meet its obligations under TSCA.

“EPA continues to have an obligation under the LCSA to initiate a rulemaking to encourage recycling of byproducts,” Abrams added. “For our part, we will continue to work in good faith with the EPA, with members of Congress, and with all constructive stakeholders to address these issues.”

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IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 4,200 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Brussels, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.