
Product stewardship programs provide collection, recycling, and disposal of spent product, all managed and paid for by the product manufacturers. SWAT worked with stakeholders across the state to develop a workable concept program for end-of-life electronics.
SB61, a YR 2025 bill by Senator Loki Tobin, formalizes this work. It will mean that every community across Alaska will have free electronics backhaul. We are excited to watch our efforts advance through the legislative process! You can track the bill too. Text “SB61” to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts.
Resolutions of Support for Electronic Product Stewardship (not directly tied to the bill):
Product Stewardship Overview
Product Stewardship, also known as extended producer responsibility (EPR), supports the collection and recycling of end-of-life products. It extends a producer’s financial and managerial responsibility for its products beyond the manufacturing stage to the post-consumer collection, recycling, and safe disposal.
While the concept is new to Alaska, manufacturers are already familiar with it – they currently help to fund collection and recycling of electronics in 25 other states. In Alaska, these activities are currently performed on a voluntary basis by an individual, local government, nonprofit, or business.
Financial Cost
The financial cost? It is most often embedded in the retail cost of the product worldwide. That means our high disposal costs are spread out among every product consumer in the U.S. or even world. In fact, when you purchase a computer, you are helping to pay for 25 US states’ electronics product stewardship programs. Why not have them help pay for ours?
Product stewardship ends the cycle of waste because manufacturers have a vested interest in making more durable products with more recyclable components.
Electronics Problem
Electronics contain hazardous chemicals, such as lead, cadmium, and flame retardants that, if not managed properly, can cause substantial and permanent harm to human health and the environment. They are widely used by individuals, businesses, and even our schools. The volume of spent electronics generated each year is growing, in part due to the short-life design of such products and to their increasing integration into every facet of daily life.
There are few recycling opportunities for electronics in Alaska because there are no processing facilities located here. While urban residents have some opportunities for electronic drop-off, their cost and inconvenience can dissuade many families from using them. In our remote communities, shipping costs alone are cost prohibitive. With rural landfills unlined, these communities face higher health and environment costs.
Problems with Status Quo
Without Product Stewardship, all Alaskans pay in the end. Not only can the water that sustains our fisheries be polluted, our municipal governments must currently bear the cost of disposal at a time of tightened local and state budgets. Taxes and budget cuts must cover this cost, and our children inherit contaminated land.
How Can You Become Involved?
SWAT welcomes those who would like to participate in our work to develop a Product Stewardship Program for Alaska. Please contact us at 907swat@gmail.com for more information or to be included in future updates as we build our coalition of supporters.
History of SWAT’s Advocacy 2017 – 2025
Since 2017 SWAT has been working to develop a Product Stewardship Program beginning with a trip to British Columbia (BC), Canada to see how they operate their well-established program. BC has many similarities to Alaska and includes both metropolitan areas and small, remote communities. We learned that a program can be tailored to whatever circumstances and needs there are.
Following the trip, we began contacting other states and organizations that have successfully operated programs to get their advice. We engaged nonprofits, native nonprofits, tribes, multiple industries, and local and state governments in the discussion to develop a program.
In 2018, we sponsored a presentation and half-day summit with regional entities, municipal governments, and the recycling industry to learn more about product stewardship and identify potential barriers to an Alaskan program. We held a series of webinars and meetings to begin crafting an Alaska product stewardship framework.
The global pandemic caused a pause in our work, but we were back on track in 2021. SWAT engaged the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) to help guide our next steps. We formed the Electronics Stewardship Committee to build on the 2018 framework to create a policy model for Alaska. Throughout 2022 we conducted interviews to educate more stakeholders and receive feedback on the model.
Since 2022 we have continued to build a coalition of supporters to join in our advocacy movement.