Managing Hazardous Waste

We protect the environment and communities by ensuring compliance with hazardous waste laws

Covered Electronic Devices

What are Covered Electronic Devices (CEDs)?

 

For your convenience, DTSC has created the mailbox DTSC_CED_requests@dtsc.ca.gov for any correspondence concerning past CED determinations or for requests for new determinations.

A covered electronic device is a video display device with a screen size greater than four inches, measured diagonally, and is identified in the California Code of Regulations, section 66260.201(e) and Appendix X subsection (c). CEDs are considered universal wastes which are hazardous wastes that pose a lower immediate risk to people and the environment when managed properly. For more information regarding universal wastes, refer to DTSC’s Universal Waste webpage.

What is considered a “video display device?”

A video display device is an electronic device with an output surface that displays, or is capable of displaying, moving graphical images or a visual representation of image sequences or pictures, showing a number of quickly changing images on a screen in fast succession, to create the illusion of motion. This definition includes, if applicable, any device that you cannot easily remove from the display.

A video display device may use a:

  • cathode ray tube (CRT),
  • liquid crystal display (LCD), liquid crystal displays use light emitting diodes (LED) as a light source in most cases.  The terms LCD and LED are used almost interchangeably for the same type of display. 
  • organic light emitting diode (OLED), this category includes both active matrix organic light emitting diodes (AMOLED) and passive matrix organic light emitting diodes (PMOLED) displays in the same category.  There are also both active and passive matrix displays in the LCD/LED category.
  • gas plasma,
  • micro LED, this category of LED displays do not use liquid crystal technology and are not presently identified by DTSC regulations as a CED.
  • digital light processing (DLP), is a set of chipsets based on optical micro-electro-mechanical technology that uses a digital micromirror device. DLP display technology is mainly used in video projectors today. DLP displays are not Covered Electronic Devices.
  • other image projection technology.

CEDs vs. Non-CEDs

DTSC has identified and listed 15 categories of covered electronic devices (CEDs) in its regulations which are listed below. In addition, we have provided a list of various other common electronic devices that are not considered to be CEDs in California; please note that this is not a complete list of non-CEDs.

Covered Electronic Devices (CEDs)

  • Cathode ray tube containing devices (CRT devices)
  • Cathode ray tubes (CRTs)
  • Computer monitors containing CRTs
  • Laptop computers with liquid crystal display (LCD)
  • LCD containing desktop monitors
  • Televisions containing CRTs
  • Televisions containing LCD screens
  • Plasma televisions
  • Portable DVD players with LCD screens
  • OLED-containing televisions*
  • OLED-containing laptop computers* 
  • OLED-containing tablets*
  • OLED-containing desktop monitors*
  • LCD-containing tablets*
  • LCD-containing smart displays*
Modern working desktop featuring a laptop, keyboard, monitor, cell phone, and a tablet
A room full of Covered Electronic Devices, most of which are televisions

* Added with DTSC’s emergency rulemaking package approved on December 20, 2021 and will become effective July 1, 2022.

NOT Covered Electronic Devices (CEDs)

  • A video display device that is a part of a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 415 of the Vehicle Code, or any component part of a motor vehicle assembled by or for a vehicle manufacturer or franchised dealer, including replacement parts for use in a motor vehicle
  • A video display device that is contained within or a part of a piece of industrial, commercial, or medical equipment, including monitoring or control equipment·
  • A video display device that is contained within a clothes washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator and/or freezer, microwave oven, conventional oven or range, dishwasher, room air-conditioner, dehumidifier, or air purifier·
  • An electronic device, on and after the date that it ceases to be a covered electronic device under Health and Safety Code, section 25214.10.1(e)

Refer to Public Resources Code, section 42463(f)(2) for information regarding CED exclusions.

Approved Emergency Rulemaking

On Thursday, December 9, 2021, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) submitted an emergency rulemaking to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) to amend the list of Covered Electronic Devices (CED) eligible for the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program and define “smart displays.”

On Monday, December 20, 2021, OAL approved DTSC’s emergency rulemaking. The new regulations expand the list of devices eligible for the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program to include the following organic light emitting diode (OLED) and liquid crystal display (LCD) devices:

  1. OLED-containing televisions; 
  2. OLED-containing laptop computers; 
  3. OLED-containing tablets; 
  4. OLED-containing desktop monitors; 
  5. LCD-containing tablets; and
  6. LCD-containing smart displays.

These devices will be listed in the following regulations:

On July 1, 2022:

  1. Retailers shall collect a covered electronic waste recycling fee from the consumer upon a consumer’s purchase of an eligible CED. 
  2. The new covered electronic devices that become covered electronic wastes are eligible for recovery and recycling payments in the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program.
  3. The new covered electronic wastes can be collected and cancelled for the purposes of recovery and recycling payments.

To view the emergency rulemaking package, you can visit DTSC’s Emergency Rulemaking webpage.

Refer to the Environmental Chemistry Lab’s report on Determination of Total and Soluble Concentrations of Regulated Elements in Electronic Consumer Products.

For a copy of any other documents, please email Uyen Nguyen.

Will DTSC Add More Devices to the List of Covered Electronic Devices?

DTSC recognizes that there are constant developments being made and new electronic devices being introduced to the market regularly. That said, DTSC’s list of covered electronic devices is subject to change.

When DTSC does add an electronic device to the list, it does not immediately become a “covered electronic device” subject to the full requirements of the law. When added to DTSC’s list, the device will become a “covered” electronic device on and after July 1, in order to give manufacturers time to comply with California’s accompanying RoHS (Restrictions on the use of Certain Hazardous Substances) regulations.

EXAMPLE

DTSC added portable DVD players with LCD screens greater than four inches in size, measured diagonally, to its list of electronic devices that are presumed to be hazardous wastes on December 31, 2006. Therefore, portable DVD players with LCD screens greater than four inches in size, measured diagonally, became “covered electronic devices” and subject to California’s RoHS regulations (and other applicable provisions of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act) on July 1, 2007.

California’s RoHS regulations only apply to covered electronic devices that are manufactured on and after the date on which the electronic device first became a covered electronic device. Thus, going back to the example of portable DVD players from above, only portable DVD players with LCD screens greater than four inches in size, measured diagonally, that were manufactured on and after July 1, 2007 are subject to California’s RoHS regulations.

Reporting Requirements for Manufacturers of Covered Electronic Devices

Manufacturers of covered electronic devices are required to submit an annual report to CalRecycle that includes specific information regarding the use of certain substances in covered electronic devices. Refer to CalRecycle’s Manufacturer Reporting Information webpage for more information.  

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Last Updated: June 8, 2022

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