Environment - Covered Electronic Device Recycling Program - Establishment (Electronics Recycling Health and Safety Modernization Act)

SB 591 establishes Maryland's new Covered Electronic Device Recycling Program under the Department of the Environment. It requires consumers to pay a recycling fee when buying new covered electronic devices (like phones or laptops), while manufacturers must pay registration fees to the state. The bill creates separate funding accounts within the State Recycling Trust Fund to support authorized collectors and recyclers who handle device collection, refurbishment, or recycling. It replaces older takeback programs and prohibits collectors/recyclers from charging additional fees beyond the state-mandated system. The program aims to modernize electronics recycling by clarifying fee structures and accountability for manufacturers and retailers.