Recently, California has passed two controversial laws: the Right to Repair, and Reporting Emissions.

The Right to Repair essentially requires companies to provide diagnostic and repair tools for their products to consumers, while Reporting Emissions requires companies to publicly report their carbon emissions.

These new laws are groundbreaking in terms of forcing companies’ hands to protect the environment.

Let’s take a closer look at the specific purposes and history of these laws.

Right to Repair

Why is the right to repair important? The fact is that as more devices incorporate computer chips and increasingly advanced software, fewer are repairable. They require users to pay exorbitant fees at company-owned repair shops.

While users are often legally allowed to repair their own devices, manufacturers can make this process difficult by using certain adhesives on components or non-standard screws.

They also refuse to publish repair guides or sell replacement parts to third parties, essentially giving the company a monopoly over the repair of their devices. As a result, consumers often opt for new products because it’s typically cheaper than repairing old devices.

The law essentially requires companies to improve the repairability of their products, as well as make diagnostic tools, spare parts, and repair guides available to third parties.

The reason it is so groundbreaking lies in the fact that it would reduce e-waste and prevent manufacturers from making it difficult to fix essential machines like medical devices. By extending the lifetime of devices, more raw materials can be conserved. It would also make custom software available for devices long after their manufacturers have stopped supporting them, further extending service lives.

In a surprising move, Apple, after years of doing everything it can to block Right to Repair laws, has announced its full support for the new measure, so much so that they have promised to follow its requirements nationally, not just in California.

Reporting Emissions

California has also instituted a new law aimed at companies like Wells Fargo, Chevron, and Amazon which generate more than $1 billion in revenue yearly. By 2026, these companies will be legally obligated to disclose their carbon emissions from their operations and electricity use. 

The most controversial aspect of this law is that by 2027, the companies will be compelled to disclose their “Scope 3 emissions” data. Scope 3 data includes emissions from company supply chains and consumers. 

Businesses and politicians alike have been hesitant to implement Reporting Emissions, claiming the law to be unreasonable, lacking in definition, and unlikely to reduce emissions. They argue that any benefits gained by reporting Scope 3 emissions will be outweighed by the money, time, and labor spent on gathering the data. Some companies spent millions to fight the bill’s passing.

A Promising Start

By forcing major polluters to disclose emissions data and improving the sustainability practices of large corporations, these laws are a massive step in the right direction.

Though they don’t entirely resolve these issues, they are an excellent start. With enough pressure from consumers and otherwise concerned citizens, these laws may serve to curb climate change and pollution and end the monopolies companies have on device repair.

Sources: Guardian, NY Times, Engadget, Reuters, Wirecutter