DisappointedwithdelaysinSacramento(thecapitalofCalifornia)BayAreaofficialssaidThursdaytheyplannedtotakemattersintotheirownhandstoregulatetheregion’sgrowingpilesofelectronicwaste.ASanJosecouncilwomananda

　　DisappointedwithdelaysinSacramento(thecapitalofCalifornia)BayAreaofficialssaidThursdaytheyplannedtotakemattersintotheirownhandstoregulatetheregion’sgrowingpilesofelectronicwaste.

　　ASanJosecouncilwomanandaSanFranciscosupervisorsaidtheywouldproposenewlocalplansaimedatcontrollingelectronicwasteiftheCalifornialaw-makingbodyfailstoactontwobillsdelayedintheAssembly.TheyareamongagrowingnumberofCaliforniacitiesandcountriesthathaveexpressedthesameintention

　　Environmentalistsandlocalgovernmentsareincreasinglyconcernedaboutthedangercausedbyoldelectronicdevicesandthecostofsafelyrecyclingthoseproducts.Anestimated6milliontelevisionsandcomputersarestockedinCaliforniahomesandanadditional6000to7000computersbecomeoutdatedeveryday.Themachinescontainhighlevelsoflead(铅)andotherdangeroussubstancesandarealreadybannedfromCalifornialandfills.

　　AbillbySenator(参议员)ByronSherwouldrequireconsumerstopayarecyclingfeeofupto$30oneverynewmachinecontainingacathoderaytube.Usedinalmostallvideomonitorsandtelevisionsthosedevicescontainfourtoeightpoundsofleadeach.Thefeeswouldgotowardsettinguprecyclingprogramsprovidinggrantstonon-profitagenciesthatreusethetubesandrewardingmanufacturersthatencouragerecycling.

　　AseparatebillbyLosAngeles-areaSenatorGloriaRomerowouldrequirehigh-techmanufacturerstodevelopprogramstorecycleso-callede-waste.IfpassedthemeasureswouldputCaliforniaattheforefrontofnationaleffortstomanagetherefuseoftheelectronicage.

　　Buthigh-techgroupsincludingtheSiliconValleyManufacturingGroupandtheAmericanElectronicsAssociationopposethemeasuresarguingthatfeesofupto$30willdriveconsumerstoonlineout-of-stateshops.

　　“Whatreallyneedstooccurisconsumereducation.Mostconsumersareunawarethey’renotsupposedtothrowcomputersinthedustbin”saidRoxanneGouldvicepresidentofgovernmentrelationsfortheelectronicsassociation.

　　Computerrecyclingshouldbealocaleffortandpartofresidentialwastecollectionprogramssheadded.Recyclingelectronicwasteisadangerousandspecializedmat