Oregon DEQ: Land Quality - Oregon E-Cycles - Manufacturers

Recycling Obligations and Programs

DEQ assigns all manufacturers a recycling obligation by May 1 each year. This obligation, or return share and return share by weight, is the percentage and weight, respectively, of computers, monitors and TVs that a manufacturer is responsible for recycling through a recycling program.

For more information on how DEQ determines recycling obligations:

Recycling Programs

All manufacturers must participate in a recycling program. Manufacturers are required to declare which recycling program they will participate in for the following calendar year at the time of registration. Each recycling program must:

Establish a collection site in every city with a population of 10,000 or greater.
Provide a collection service in every county.
Provide FREE recycling for all brands of computers, monitors and TVs to anyone bringing seven or fewer items to a participating collection site.
Operate throughout the year.
Meet the Environmental Management Practices.

There are two types of recycling programs a manufacturer may participate in:

State Contractor Program
Manufacturers are automatically participants in the SCP unless they meet certain requirements and choose to operate an independent program.
Participants in the SCP pay a per-pound recycling fee to DEQ, which is based on return share by weight. DEQ will send participants in the SCP an invoice for their recycling fee in early July; fees are due September 1.

Independent Program
A manufacturer or group of manufacturers with a collective return share greater than 5% may pursue an independent program by submitting a recycling plan to DEQ for approval by July 1 each year. If an independent program is not approved, those manufacturers will participate in the SCP.
An independent program must submit a plan that meets all requirements outlined in the Guide for Manufacturer Recycling Plans. Additionally, a plan must address how the program will meet the Environmental Management Practices and Collection System Standards.
Independent programs are responsible for the costs of implementing their programs and at a minimum must recycle the collective returns shares by weight of its participants to avoid penalties under the law.