Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB4084 by Farrar (Relating to a prohibition on the disposal of certain used equipment at a municipal solid waste facility; creating an offense.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would prohibit a person from knowingly disposing of used computer equipment in a landfill or incinerator, and it would prohibits owners and operators of municipal solid waste landfills or incinerators from knowingly accepting such equipment for disposal. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) would be required to promulgate rules regarding the disposal prohibition and violators could be assessed penalties, including citizens who discard electronics in household trash.
Implementing the rules is not expected to cause a significant change in TCEQ agency operations, because the prohibition would be implemented similarly to how the agency currently restricts other materials from being disposed in landfills.
Local Government Impact
The TCEQ reports that the bill would not affect local governments because such entities are already prohibited from the disposal of used computer equipment in municipal landfills and incinerators.