6. a. The department may establish a Statewide standard program for the collection, transportation, and recycling of covered electronic devices from consumers. The department may enter into contracts for the services required for the proper collection, transportation, and recycling of covered electronic devices. At a minimum, the Statewide standard program shall:

(1) designate collection locations throughout the State such that at least 90 percent of consumers are located within no more than 15 miles of a collection location;

(2) provide that all designated collection locations accept all covered electronic devices free of charge; and

(3) require that all designated collection locations, transporters, and authorized recyclers comply with State standards for the management of Class D universal waste as provided in N.J.A.C.7:26A-7.1 et seq. or any subsequently adopted standards for the management of covered electronic devices.

b. A manufacturer may meet its market share in weight obligation by participating in the Statewide standard program established pursuant to this section.

c. A manufacturer that participates in the Statewide standard program pursuant to this section shall pay a per pound rate established by the department for the collection, transportation, recycling, public education, and administrative costs of the program based upon the manufacturer’s market share in weight obligation. In the first year of operation of the Statewide standard program, the department may bill each participating manufacturer by January 30, and each manufacturer participating in the program shall pay 25 percent of their market share in weight obligation based upon the per pound rate established. Subsequently, the department may bill each participating manufacturer on a quarterly basis at the end of each quarter of operation of the program, based upon the costs incurred during that quarter.

d. The department, or the administrator for the Statewide standard program designated by the department, shall reimburse a local government unit that collects or transports covered electronic devices and that is not otherwise identified as a collection location in the Statewide standard program, at the per pound rate established by the program for those services, for the costs incurred in the collection and transportation of covered electronic devices to a collection location designated under the Statewide standard program under the following conditions:

(1) the local government unit stores and transports the covered electronic devices in a manner consistent with State standard program requirements; and

(2) the local government unit complies with recordkeeping and invoicing requirements established by the department.

L.2016, c.87, s.6.