U.S. PIRG: New York just raised the bar on electronics repair

New York's state legislature just became the first in the country to pass a bill requiring retailers to post repair scores for electronics at the point of sale. All that's left now is the governor's signature. Repair scores rate a product based on factors like how available spare parts are, how easy it is to take apart and how long the manufacturer will keep supporting it. Electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, is now the fastest-growing part of America's domestic waste stream -- and less than 30% of it actually gets recycled. The rest piles up in landfills, where valuable materials go to waste and some components, which can be toxic, leach into our soil and water. Every device that gets repaired instead of tossed is one less piece of that problem, and repair scores make that choice easier by helping people pick products that are built to last in the first place. More BENEFITS.