By SHARON UDASIN

Recycling of household electronic waste is expected to grow by 20 percent over Passover, according to M.A.I. – Electronics Recycling Corp.

M.A.I., one of Israel’s electronic waste recycling firms, is expecting to receive about a ton of electronic waste from residences before and during Passover, as people replace old electrical products, CEO Amnon Sharoor said on Tuesday.

Members of the public are buying appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and microwaves, and passing on their old ones for recycling – as mandated by the Electronic Waste Law, the company said.

The Electronic Waste Law went into force on March 1, 2014, following approval of the law’s regulations by the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee on January 28 of that year.

The E-Waste Law requires manufacturers and importers of electronic goods to recycle 50% of the total weight of electronic equipment they sell annually by the year 2021 – following a graduated percentage scheme until that year. Businesses that sell electronics must accept old devices without payment when a consumer buys a new device of the same kind.

In addition, the legislation stipulates that manufacturers and importers of batteries recycle 30% to 35% of what they sell, depending on the type of batteries, by 2019. Stores that sell batteries are required to have battery disposal bins.

The bill requires that importers and manufacturers finance the treatment mechanisms for the waste.

For the first quarter of 2015, M.A.I.

reported that households likewise recycled about 1 ton of electronic waste. Since the middle of February and toward Passover, however, the rate of such private residential e-waste recycling has been constantly increasing, the company said.

In addition to handling household e-waste, M.A.I. works with about 50 importers and manufacturers to process commercial and industrial electronic waste. Another major accredited e-waste firm is the Ecommunity Group, which employs special needs workers as the majority of its staff.

Taking into account all sectors – including household, industrial and commercial electronic waste, M.A.I.

said it collected 5,000 tons in 2014, while Ecommunity said it collected 9,200 tons that year.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/New-Tech/Its-Passover-cleanup-time-in-Israel-and-e-waste-recycling-is-on-the-rise-395723