NYC electronics program collects 20M pounds from residents

New York City’s electronics recycling program, ecycleNYC, has helped residents properly dispose of more than 20 million pounds of electronic waste, according to Fresno, California-based ERI. The ecycleNYC program is a joint effort by the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), ERI and various manufacturers that serves over 4.6 million New Yorkers.

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,” John Shegerian, co-founder and executive director of ERI, says. “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.”

“The ecycleNYC program represents the most innovative and comprehensive electronics recycling service offered in the nation,” New York City Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia says. “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.”

The average American household owns 28 electronic devices, and 55 percent of households in New York City have no vehicle access to unload their e-scrap, ERI says.

With the program, New York City-area buildings with at least 10 units can receive on-site 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, mouses and hard drives.

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. Buildings, management companies or residents that want learn more about electronics recycling in NYC, can visit www.nyc.gov/ecycle.