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Actually, they do. I believe at least electronics companies pay a small fee for every device to pay for its disposal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_W

• ryandrake 10y ago
  That's a pretty blunt instrument though. It looks like it just hits retailers, not manufacturers, and the fee is assessed regardless of whether the device ends up disposed. Seems like such a fee would serve only to make everything more expensive, instead of actually incentivizing the production of longer-lasting goods. Another idea (probably full of holes, I'm sure): Tax manufacturers based on the length of their products' warranties, say 100 minus YEARS. So no warranty means company pays 100% of the product's sale price in tax. 5 year warranty means company pays 95% of the product's sale price, etc. down to no tax if the company offers a 100 year or more warranty.
  • Karunamon 10y ago
    Biggest problem I can think of there can be answered with most of the warranty repairs I've ever had done. "We don't have any parts for your $old_thing, here, have a $new_thing" Great from the consumer standpoint, but useless when it comes to reducing the amount of trash. And I'd be willing to bet that once something doesn't have any parts, it's not gonna be refurbished, it's gonna be scavenged for useful parts (if that's even possible), if not outright destroyed.