NYC SAFE Disposal Event comes to Manhattan this weekend

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

June 23, 2016 08:43:57 PM

ALBANY (Scrap Monster): The country’s leading recycler of electronics- Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) will co-host a NYC SAFE Disposal Event in Manhattan this weekend. The event is being hosted in partnership with Veolia Environmental Services and the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and will take place at Columbia University/Teachers College on 120th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave. on Sunday, June 26th from 10 AM to 4 PM.

According to DSNY, cars will be allowed to approach from Seminary Drive down Amsterdam Avenue. Also, residents taking public transport will be provided with walk-in area to drop off their recyclables.

The event will accept only NYC residential waste. No commercial vehicles will be allowed. Also, residents are required to provide proof of NYC residency (NYS driver’s license, utility bill etc.). The list of allowed items includes automotive products, electronics, household products and medical items. The items that will not be accepted at the event include appliances, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators and tires.

Residents are allowed to bring in items labeled DANGER, POISON, WARNING, or CAUTION. They must ensure that the products are not mixed and are labeled clearly. All containers must be tightly sealed and packaged. Syringes and lancets should be packaged in a “sharps” container or other leak-proof, puncture-resistant container, and clearly labeled. TVs or computer monitors with broken glass should be placed in separate sealed bags or boxes.

Materials collected are recycled, blended for fuel, or sent to licensed hazardous waste treatment facilities for safe disposal. Electronics are responsibly recycled or refurbished for reuse through e-cycleNYC. The ERI handles the handling and processing of electronic waste collected during the event. Unwanted medications and pharmaceuticals are managed by DSNY’s Environmental Police Unit and incinerated to prevent unintentional poisonings or entry into the water supply. The household waste collected during the event will be recycled or disposed of by Veolia.

The SAFE Disposal Event provides an opportunity for NYC residents to get rid of their harmful household products safely. Every borough of New York City conducts similar SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics) Disposal Events ten times every year. The most recent SAFE Disposal Events were held in Brooklyn (Sunday, April 3), Staten Island (Saturday, April 16), Queens (Saturday, April 30) and Bronx (Saturday, May 14).

Incidentally, the event in Queens had turned out to become the largest such collection event in the history of New York City. Nearly 3,100 vehicles and over 1,700 pedestrians participated in the event. The event collected almost 270, 456 lbs of electronics. It took 12 tractor-trailers to carry the collected e-waste.

The next round of events, following the Manhattan event, is slated to begin in August, noted Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia.

About DSNY

The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) promotes a healthy environment through efficient management of the City’s solid waste and environmentally sound long-range planning to handle New Yorkers recycling and garbage. DSNY is the world’s largest sanitation department, collecting more than 10,500 tons of residential and institutional garbage and 1,760 tons of recyclables every day. NYC businesses generate another 13,000 tons of garbage daily, which is collected by private carting companies.

About Veolia

Veolia is the world’s leading provider of environmental solutions. It helps customers address their environmental and sustainability challenges in energy, water and waste. It offers complete range of environmental solutions to meet the challenges of cities, governments, campuses, businesses and industries.

About ERI

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste and the world's largest cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company, is 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.