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ALSO SEE resources in waste less at agencies & schools for additional links on waste prevention, energy efficiency, and recycling. NOTE: Our mention of these resources does not constitute an endorsement. If you find any outdated information, or would like to suggest additional resources, please email NYCWasteLe$$.
ALSO SEE energy efficiency for additional resources; new homes for old stuff for places to donate, give away, or sell unwanted appliances, or to purchase used goods; appliance store in shopping tips; appliances in tips for your home; and NYC recycling requirements for small and large appliances that contain at least 50 percent metal. Appliance411 Information Center provides information about purchasing and repairing appliances. The site discusses warranties, purchase tips, and brands. It also discusses myths about appliances, and maintenance tips to prolong the life of your appliance. Visit Consumer Reports online, or read Consumer Reports magazine, to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of an appliance before purchasing it. Some areas of the site require a paid subscription. To review U.S. Department of Energy regulations, specifications, and tips to cut energy costs, see Appliances and Home Electronics in the Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. USEPA’s ENERGY STAR appliance page provides information on purchasing energy-efficient appliances. Use “locate a store” to find a convenient retailer offering ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and electronics. All household batteries are accepted at any NYC Department of Sanitation Self-Help Special Waste Drop-Off Site. Check out other battery recycling options on our recyclers and vendors page. Alkaline: Standard alkaline batteries are not considered hazardous waste, since they no longer contain mercury. Place batteries with your regular trash, not in your recycling bin. Button batteries: Ask jewelry stores, watch repair shops, camera stores, and other retailers to recycle your watch, calculator, or other button batteries. Though not required to, many do. Rechargeable batteries: Effective December 2006, New York City's Rechargeable Battery Law (Local Law 97 of 2005) makes it illegal for New York City residents to discard rechargeable batteries in the trash. Large Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) batteries are not covered under this law. See below for more info. Hardware, office supply, wireless telephone, electronics stores and many other retail locations will recycle your rechargeable batteries. Visit the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) or call 1-800-2-RECYCLE for a list of locations or for more information on rechargeables. ALSO SEE NYC rechargeable battery law: info for consumers. Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS): These products, usually contain lead-acid batteries, which may be too large for the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation program. Recycle unwanted UPS batteries through one of the manufacturer-sponsored, take-back programs listed below, or through a recycling vendor: Some charge a processing fee, and some require the purchase of a new battery. AUTOMOTIVE It is illegal in New York State to discard a used lead-acid battery. View the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) fact sheet on oil, tires and lead-acid battery recycling, or call them at (718) 482-4885. If you have problems returning auto batteries to the supplier, contact NYSDEC. For information on lead-acid auto batteries, visit the Battery Council International or call them at (312) 664-6610. made with recycled content ALSO SEE product guides for vendors of recycled-content products, buying recycled products in tips for your home, and recycled-content products in shopping tips. The USEPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines offer detailed information varying types of recycled content products and a supplier database. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection provides tips on How to Buy Recycled Products. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has a list of web resources for recycled products. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection offers a comprehensive Recycled Products Guide. Cleaning products See the NYC Department of Sanitation publication, Safeguarding Your Home from Harmful Products for information on safe cleaning products. The Alternatives to Household Hazards appendix produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides a list of homemade cleanser recipes. USEPA's fact sheet on non-toxic household products has information about product hazards and safer substitutes. For additional resources on less-toxic cleaning products, check out Healthy Clean Buildings. Home-Safe-Home provides information about a variety of cleaning and maintenance products and their alternatives. Visit the Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project for fact sheets on less-toxic janitorial products. King County in Washington state provides information about alternative cleaning products that can be purchased or made at home. ALSO SEE new homes for old stuff for places to donate, give away, or sell your gently used clothing and recyclers and vendors for textile recyclers. Recycle unwanted clothing through one of the manufacturer-sponsored take-back programs listed below: Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a voluntary initiative between members of the carpet industry and government to prevent carpet from burdening landfills. CARE focuses on developing carpet reclamation and recycling methods. Interface Flooring Systems offers customers a bundled service package that includes design, layout, carpet-tile installation, ongoing maintenance, and ultimate removal of carpet tiles for recycling. The Antron Reclamation Program removes and collects used carpeting and installation scraps and ships it to an Invista recycling center. The Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program recycles the rubber, foam, and fabric from any brand of used sneakers into padded flooring. The Patagonia Common Threads Garment Recycling Program recycles any brand of Polartec fleece, Patagonia organic t-shirts, and Capilene Performance Baselayers into new Patagonia clothing.
NYC residents, city agencies, and institutions in the city's leaf collection districts are required to recycle their fall leaves by setting them out in paper lawn & leaf bags (or unlined rigid containers) for Sanitation collection during designated time periods. For more info, go to Fall Leaf Collection Program. ALSO SEE food and yard waste in tips for your home, and composting in tips for your agency for basic suggestions for how to compost your leaf and yard waste throughout the year. Computers, TVs, electronics, and cell phones — donating, selling, and recycling ALSO SEE electronics recycling; and new homes for old stuff for places to donate, give away, or sell your unwanted electronics, or to purchase used goods.
COMPUTERS, TELEVISIONS, AND ELECTRONICS Recycle unwanted computers, monitors, televisions, and printers through one of the retailer or manufacturer-sponsored take-back programs listed below, or through a recycling vendor:
Manufacturer Take-Back Programs
Programs vary by manufacturer, many charge a processing fee, and some restrict the brands or products that they will accept. Various programs include a direct mail or shipping option.
Recycle unwanted cell phones and accessories by dropping them off at retail locations sponsoring a take-back program. The New York State Wireless Recycling Act requires all wireless providers who sell cell phones within the state to accept cell phones for recycling. Many wireless providers have mail-back programs, where a cell phone can be sent back to the wireless provider for recycling at no cost. In addition, these wireless providers may have in-store collection programs at retail locations. Please check, prior to taking cell phones to a retail location. Wireless provider sponsored, take-back programs include: Provider Take-Back Programs
Manufacturer Take-Back Programs
Retailer Take-Back Programs Local retailers participating in cell phone recycling programs include:
Cell phones can be sold or traded in at various online vendors ALSO SEE dry cleaners in shopping tips. See article on alternatives to dry cleaning in Consumer Reports. USEPA’s Design for the Environment Program has established the voluntary Garment and Textile Care Partnership. This website includes information on environmentally friendly manufacture and care of textiles. Some partners maintain lists of local dry cleaners. The Center for Neighborhood Technology's Greener Cleaner Project highlights the experiences and findings of dry cleaners that have stopped using perchloroethylene. The National Waste Prevention Coalition's Model Cleaners Project recognized 15 dry cleaners around the country (including three in New York City) for their outstanding waste prevention or alternative cleaning efforts. The NY State Department of Health has a comprehensive fact sheet on the chemical called tetrachloroethene (PERC), which is widely used to dry-clean clothes. ALSO SEE energy efficiency in tips for your home, lighting in tips when shopping, and the energy efficiency section in waste less at agencies & schools. New York City's PLANYC includes information on how the city plans to increase energy efficiency by the year 2030. Use the calculator from This Old House Online to choose the appropriate size air conditioner. For more information on energy efficient products for your home, including compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy efficient appliances, go to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consumers Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Tips on energy efficiency are available from Con Edison. Support a clean and secure source of electricity through ConEdison Solutions' GREEN Power program for residents and small businesses. Energy Savers: a website that provides information to help you save energy in your home, business, vehicle, or industrial plant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ENERGY STAR®: USEPA’s guide to energy efficiency and energy-efficient products. NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, offers technical assistance and resources to improve your home’s energy efficiency. For more information, call 1-877-NYSMART or visit their Get Energy Smart website. HeatingHelp.com answers questions about any type of heating system. Books, online forums, seminars, and FAQs are available. The U.S. Department of Energy Insulation Fact Sheet can help you choose the right insulation. The guide discusses R-values (measure of insulating power) for insulation and tells you how much insulation to install.
Find more information about compact fluorescents from the energy star compact fluorescent light bulb page. Projector Lamp Services offers tips to extend the life of your projector lamp for mercury-filled LCD, DLP, and Rear Screen Projector lamps, as well as relamping and lamp recycling services. The EPA provides a fact sheet on mercury in compact fluorescents, including information about what to do in case one breaks. See the National Electrical Manufacturers Association's committment to cap the amount of mercury in compact fluorescents. The Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA) provides information about fluorescent lamp recycling, include a report on mercury use in lighting. ALSO SEE lighting in tips when shopping Recycle spent fluorescent bulbs through a recycling vendor. Compact fluorescents can also be recycled at any Home Depot or IKEA, through their retail take-back programs.
Fluorescent bulbs, including fluorescent tubes up to 4 ft, can be dropped off at any NYC Department of Sanitation Self-Help Special Waste Drop-Off Sites. The Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA) provides information about fluorescent lamp recycling, include a report on mercury use in lighting. ALSO SEE junk mail in tips for your home. To remove your name from lists for credit card offers, call this toll-free number: 1-888-5-OPTOUT. The Direct Marketing Association offers links for getting off mailing lists and reducing those annoying telemarketing calls. Obvious Implementations Corporation’s Do It Yourself: Stop Junk Mail page offers numerous suggestions for reducing junk mail. The Greenfield Paper Company offers greeting cards made from recycled junk mail. Recycle unwanted junk mail and catalogs along with mixed paper. More information on how to reduce junk mail can be found in a publication called Stop Junk Mail Forever, produced by Good Advice Press in Elizaville, NY. Learn what packaging you can recycle in New York City. ALSO SEE food and product packaging in tips for your home. Grocery Shopping with the Four Rs in Mind provides advice on packaging reduction from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Donate excess packaging peanuts and bubble wrap to Mail Boxes Etc. or other commercial packaging services. Use ”locate a store” to find a retailer near you. Check the Plastic Loosefill Council’s online database, or call their Peanut Hotline toll free at 1-800-828-2214 for a list of convenient drop-off locations in New York City. ALSO SEE vendors to purchase low- or no-VOC paints, and reducing workplace toxics in waste less at agencies & schools to see the chemical constituents of paint and paint removal products.
DISCARD OR DONATE PAINT Up to five gallons of unwanted latex paint per visit can be dropped off at any NYC Department of Sanitation Self-Help Special Waste Drop-Off Sites. Recycle empty (or dried-out) metal paint cans. Paint & Coatings Industry Information Center provides extensive information about paint, both interior and exterior. If you have an old house, check the lead paint link. USEPA’s Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil page offers information on residential lead hazards, regulations, and links. Speak to an information specialist, or order materials by contacting the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD [5323]). Use a paint calculator to determine exactly how much paint you need for your project. Search the internet for “paint calculator,” or ask your local paint dealer or home improvement retailer if they have one on-site. ALSO SEE vendors to purchase less-toxic alternatives to common pesticides; pesticides in tips for your home to learn about preventing pests and safe alternatives to pesticides; and reducing workplace toxics in waste less at agencies & schools to see the chemical constituents of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. View the NYC Department of Sanitation publication, Safeguard Your Home from Harmful Products for information on pesticide alternatives. Order copies of this brochure online. How to Handle Household Pesticides, from the Michigan Department of Agriculture, offers tips for how to use household pesticides. The National Pesticide Information Center provides objective, science-based information about a wide variety of pesticide-related subjects. To report a rodent problem, call 311 or use the Rodent Complaint Form on the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website. |  |
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