| The ultimate objective of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) are resource recycling and environmental protection. The EPR system requires producers who should take responsible for environmental issues in products’ whole-life-cycle, which means producers reduce the product’ resource bearing capacity and potential harm to environment in the design stage of products. Producers should take preventive measures to protect the environment in the product production process, then producers should also follow the "3R" principles of cyclic economy which means "reducing", "reusing", and "recycling" resource. The "3R" principles of cyclic economy promote producers to reduce cost, cut down pollution and enhance the use of resource. E-waste is a kind of solid waste which is the hardest solid waste to deal with. E-waste unbelievably grows fast and has enormous amount and involves lots of relevant subjects. E-waste is difficult to manage. E-waste is a chemically complex products and has two characters, which are the qualities of pollution and regenerative resources. The experiences that developed countries use the EPR system in E-waste management prove that the EPR system is the most effective way to solve the problem of E-waste currently, The EPR system conform to the circular economy and the theory of sustainable development. The EPR system is a vital part of building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society. At present, China faces an increasing problem with resource shortage and environmental deterioration. The EPR system using in the application of E-waste management can help our country to build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society and realize sustainable development.American’EPR system don’t have a federal legislation about E-waste management, up until now,23 states have already established state laws of E-waste management which are based on the EPR system. Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, north Carolina, Oregon and Washington and other States have success experiences that the EPR system apply in E-waste management. The EPR system’ definition and the subject of liability and the content of liability are very clear and specific in these states’law, these states have perfect recycling system. China should learn from the successful experience of these states. In the 21st century our government established the EPR system in E-waste management, the governent issued Regulations on Recovery Processing of Waste Electrical and Electronic products, Administrative Measures for the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Electronic Waste, Measures for the Control of Pollution from Electronic Information Products and other laws and regulations. These laws and regulations prescribe the main subject, the content and the form of extended responsibility liability of the EPR. Our government have made a series of rules, but basic concept is not unified and clear, and the regulatory agencies have the problems of overlapping functions, divorce between powers and responsibilities and duplicate law enforcement. American’EPR system has great differences in our country, mainly embodies in the concept of producer responsibility system, specific content and implementation mode, especially the main subject, the content and the form of extended responsibility liability of the EPR. Through the specific comparison of the EPR system in E-waste management of China and the United States, suggested China should identify basic category, improve the management system, well define power and responsibility, establish the fund and information platform of E-waste recycling, improve the recycling system, guide the green purchasing and green consumption, and consummate the responsibility to investigate the mechanism and so on. The EPR system can help us build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society and continue along the way of recycle economy and sustainable development. |
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