Pennsylvania is experiencing rapid data center development driven by AI workloads, cloud computing demand, and cryptocurrency operations. These large-scale facilities retire and replace hardware at a high rate, generating enormous volumes of electronic waste. But there is no existing state law requiring operators to manage that waste through certified channels, maintain disposal records, or report to any state agency. 

Pennsylvania's existing e-waste law, the Covered Device Recycling Act (Act 108 of 2010) governs consumer electronics like laptops and monitors, but it does not cover commercial-grade data center equipment like servers, storage arrays, or networking hardware. A single hyperscale data center can retire thousands of servers a year, but under current law, there is no requirement to recycle that equipment responsibly and no penalty for dumping it.  

Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, creating significant financial and environmental costs for impacted communities and municipalities. Improperly disposed of e-waste leaches lead, mercury, cadmium and other hazardous materials into soil and groundwater. Without a regulatory framework, e-waste from commercial IT operations may be landfilled, exported to countries with weak environmental protections, or processed through uncertified recyclers, posing risks to public health and the environment.  

The Pennsylvania Data Center Electronic Waste Management Act protects communities and municipalities across Pennsylvania by establishing a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework for commercial IT e-waste, with oversight by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This legislation requires smaller operators to dispose of e-waste through certified recyclers or manufacturer take-back programs, and requires larger operators to submit electronic waste management plans and file regular disposal reports, with penalties for noncompliance. Penalty revenue would fund a dedicated electronic waste remediation account within DEP.   

Importantly, the bill sets a floor, not a ceiling, for e-waste requirements. Municipalities and counties retain full authority to enact more stringent local requirements, preserving the work already underway in communities across the commonwealth. 

No comparable state program exists for commercial IT equipment. Pennsylvania has an opportunity to lead and to protect our communities from the excessive financial and public health costs of unregulated e-waste. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation and closing this regulatory gap.