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US Senators Pushing for Standardized Charging Connection

June 21, 2022

The EU is moving forward requiring USB-C starting in 2024 for charging and accessory connections. The Verge reports that the US isn’t far behind. Last week, Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) — along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to develop a strategy for requiring a universal charging standard. They didn’t come right out and mention USB-C, but the betting money is that is where things are heading.

The arguments for developing a common standard pretty much mirror those used in the EU. Electronic waste and financial burden were cited. The EU data estimated 11,000 tons of e-waste annually as users throw away obsolete chargers when vendors change the connection. Remember the 30-pin Apple connector? Case in point. Senator Markey stated, “Year after year, Americans pile our outdated chargers onto landfills while we shell out more money to tech companies for new ones. This waste is driving consumers up the wall, and it’s driving our planet deeper into a climate crisis. I’m asking the Department of Commerce to follow the lead of the European Union and look into solutions so that we can save our money, our sanity, and our planet.”

Time will tell if the US goes down the same road as the EU. I don’t think you can go wrong by using USB-C devices ahead of any enforced requirements.

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