Cycle NYC exceeds e-waste collection goals

By  Paul Ploumis 16 Jul 2015  Last updated at  08:23:02 GMT

ALBANY (Scrap Monster): The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has announced that the city has collected over 863,000 pounds of electronic waste since the launch of e-Cycle NYC electronics recycling program in November 2013. The program is now serving 1 million residents across the city and has exceeded all set collection targets so far.

e-cycle NYC serves apartment buildings with at least 10 units. According to DSNY statistics, nearly 2,500 buildings are already enrolled in the program. Also, more buildings are getting enrolled each week. e-Cycle NYC is a public-private partnership between DSNY and Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) and is fully funded by electronics manufacturers. The discarded electronic waste is picked up on-site, through the program.

Effective Jan this year, throwing of electronic waste at curbside recycling bins is prohibited in the city. As a result, sanitation workers never pick electronic waste during curbside collection.

Addressing a joint press conference, John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO,ERI noted that it is honored to have entered into a successful partnership with NYC and industry leaders such as Samsung and LG. He added that the partnership has grown itself over the past two years to offer responsible and effective electronics recycling to more than a million NY residents. The collaboration has effectively contributed to keep toxic electronic waste out of NY landfills, he added.

The press conference was also attended by Angela Pinsky from the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Lenore Friedlaender from the 32BJ SEIU Union, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and District 2 Council Member Rosie Mendez.

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the world’s largest privately held recycler of electronic waste, is e-Stewards and R2 certified to de-manufacture and recycle every type of electronic waste in an environmentally friendly manner. ERI processes more than 275 million pounds of electronic waste annually at eight locations serving every zip code in the United States.