Consumers looking to reduce e-waste have new options
The international supply-chain scramble that began with the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to ease up. A global chip shortage has caused endless waits for new cars, and spiked prices for electronics like new iPhones and TVs. But even as brand-new items do start to become available again, many consumers hope to hold onto the technology they already have.
In late 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the nation’s first Digital Fair Repair Act into law. This landmark legislation requires equipment manufacturers to make diagnostic and repair information available for digital electronic parts. Equipment must also be made available to repair providers and consumers. The law is part of increasing efforts to reduce the mounting e-waste crisis: More than 54 million metric tons of phones, computers, and other electronic waste are produced per year, according to the U.N. Environmental Program.
But legislation is just beginning to catch up to the public’s growing demand for sustainability. Over the last few years, CircleIT president Will Cohen has seen a surge of inte... Read more
