The House Science and Technology Committee on Wednesday approved legislation aimed at curbing unsafe dumping of computers, televisions, mobile phones and other consumer electronics.

The bill, approved by voice vote, would fund research intended to reduce electronic waste and mitigate its impact on the environment.

The legislation has been endorsed by consumer electronics retailers such as Best Buy, as well as wireless lobby CTIA and environmental groups such as the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, said committee Chairman Bart Gordon , D-Tenn.

“If enacted, this bill will be the first piece of legislation to directly address the increasing impact of electronic waste,” said ranking Republican Ralph M. Hall of Texas.

Consumer electronics can contain toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Although special programs do exist for their disposal, the EPA estimates that less than 20 percent of discarded devices make it to recyclers.

The legislation would authorize $60 million from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2012 for EPA grants to improve electronics waste collection and boost awareness of recycling. The grants also would fund research on separating hazardous materials from electronics waste and designing devices that last longer.

Before approving the bill, the panel adopted an amendment by voice vote that made non-controversial changes, such as striking the word “waste” from the bill — since used electronics can still be valuable, Gordon said.

The committee also adopted by voice vote amendments by Eddie Bernice Johnson , D-Texas, to require the EPA to post its research results online and urge the EPA and National Science Foundation to conduct outreach to minority-serving institutions when handing out engineering curriculum grants focused on reducing electronics waste.

The legislation would authorize slightly more than $15 million for fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2012 for NSF grants to universities developing curricula on the subject.