NYC Electronics Recycling Program Exceeds 20M Pounds of E-waste

New York City’s electronics recycling program, including the ecycleNYC residential e-waste collection program, a joint effort by the City of New York Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) and proactive manufacturers, has now collected and recycled more than 20 million pounds of electronic waste from city residents.

Now serving more than 4.6 million New Yorkers, the program is a public-private partnership between DSNY and ERI. The ecycleNYC program is fully funded by electronics manufacturers and is free for NYC taxpayers and participating buildings.

“We are honored to have collaboratively created this historic and successful partnership with the city of New York and forward-thinking manufacturers,” said John Shegerian, co-founder and executive director of ERI, in a statement. “That we have now collected more than 20 million pounds of electronic waste from New York City residents for responsible, effective recycling is a groundbreaking accomplishment. Plus, the program now serves over half of the New York City population. It’s a humbling experience to be able to help so many in our city do the right thing and responsibly recycle their e-waste and keep millions of pounds of toxic electronics out of landfills.”

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With the program, New York City-area buildings with at least 10 units can receive onsite pickup of stored electronics, including TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, small servers, printers/scanners, tablets/e-readers, mobile phones, MP3 players, VCRs/DVRs/DVD players, video game consoles, cable/satellite boxes, fax machines, keyboards, computer mouse(s) and hard drives.

“The ecycleNYC program represents the most innovative and comprehensive electronics recycling service offered in the nation,” said DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia in a statement. “Thanks to our partners, some 20 million pounds of e-waste was properly recycled. We’re proud to have set a meaningful example for the entire nation, and we look forward to the continued growth of the program.”

Depending on the size and type of building, a variety of service options are available, including storage bins, room clean-outs and building events. Residents in Staten Island, Brooklyn and parts of Queens who do not live in large apartment buildings are eligible for direct curbside collection of their material. Other disposal options in the program include household special waste drop-off sites and SAFE Disposal events.