Electronic waste is going through one of its semi-annual resurgences. Last time the issue popped up this prominently was due to risks that e-waste post to business operations, but this time around, there has been a slew of policy moves that push e-waste to center stage.

Moves at the federal, national and local level in the last couple weeks has shown the many ways that governments are trying to take control of the e-waste issue.

To briefly recap: Americans -- and all other industrialized or post-industrialized nations -- buy a lot of gadgets (500 million in 2008 alone, per the Consumer Electronics Association [PDF]). And those new gadgets replace old gadgets, that either work or don't. If we're good, we recycle them; if we're bad, we throw them away. Neither option is good for people or the planet.

The only federal law on the books governs the export of cathode-ray televisions and monitors (and doesn't work that well). A number of industry groups and NGOs are working to fix that.

Starting at the top: Late last month, U.S. Representatives Gene Green (D-Texas) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) yesterday reintroduced a federal e-waste bill that would ban export of any electronic devices that contain "dangerous levels of toxic chemicals."

The "Responsible Electronics Recycling Act" was also introduced last year, but never came to a vote. It has been co-sponsored by Republicans Steve LaTourette of Ohio and Lee Terry of Nebraska. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

"This bill accomplishes two things," Green said in a press release. "First, it prevents hazardous material from being shipped where it will be mishandled and cause health and environmental damage, and second, it is a green jobs bill and will create work here in the U.S., processing these used products in safe ways. applaud HP for leading on this issue and their responsible recycling."

The federal bill has its opponents, notably the scrap recycling industries. The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries warned that the bill would stifle green growth in the developing world. But given the horrific conditions that e-waste is processed under in the developing world, I think stifling those markets is a risk I'd be willing to take.

Next page: Texas and California tackle e-waste in their own ways