Governments are legislating to ensure the effective treatment of e-waste is prioritised, with the onus on OEMs to ensure compliance.

The WEEE Directive is now embedded in national laws of the member countries of the EU. It is designed to make OEMs financially or physically responsible for their equipment at the end of its life.

In the United States, a policy of "diversion from landfill" has driven legislation in many states, requiring higher and higher volumes of e-waste to be collected and processed separately from the solid waste stream.