eWaste Recycling Events Around NYC
Weekends March 24th - May 20th
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. • Rain or Shine!
Tekserve has teamed up again with the Lower East Side Ecology Center to offer free electronics recycling at convenient locations around New York City throughout March, April and May of 2012. The event at Tekserve takes place on Saturday, March 31st.
Recyclable items include: computers, monitors, fax machines, copiers, DVD or VCR players, radios, telephones, cell phones, televisions, cameras, stereo equipment, and more.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept home appliances such as microwaves, stoves, refrigerators and air conditioners. This recycling program is available to all residents, small businesses (with 50 or fewer employees), and not-for-profits.
As our way of saying thanks, all eWaste Recyclers will receive two special offers:
- A "Green Karma" Coupon worth between $5 and $500 off any products or services from Tekserve. Stop by to see what yours is worth!
- Entry into our raffle for a brand new MacBook Air (Grand Prize) or Voltaic AMP Solar Charger for iPad/iPhone/iPod (1st Prize)
Dates & Locations
| Sunday March 25 | Midwood/Gravesend: Sephardic Community Center 1901 Ocean Parkway & Avenue S, Brooklyn |
Saturday | Tekserve 119 West 23rd St. North side of 23rd St. between 6th and 7th Aves., Chelsea, New York, NY |
| Sunday April 1 | Lower East Side: Delancey Street On south side of Delancey between Chrystie & Forsyth Streets, Manhattan |
| Saturday April 14 | Fort Greene: Habana Outpost Fulton Street between South Portland Avenue & South Oxford St., Brooklyn |
| Sunday April 15 | Van Cortlandt Park Broadway between Manhattan College Parkway & Post Road, Bronx |
| Saturday April 21 | St. George: St. George Day Victory Boulevard and Van Duzer Street, St. George, Staten Island |
| Saturday April 21 | Bay Ridge: Poly Prep Country Day School 9216 7th Avenue at Baseball Field, south of 92nd Street, Brooklyn |
| Sunday April 22 | Cobble Hill: PS 29 Schoolyard Baltic Street between Henry & Clinton Streets, Brooklyn |
| Saturday April 28 | Forest Hills: PS 101Q Standish Road between Slocum Crescent & Childrens Lane, Queens |
| Sunday April 29 | Harlem: Morningside Park Morningside Avenue between W 113th & W 114th Streets, across from Lafayette Square, Manhattan |
| Saturday May 5 | Lower East Side: PS 126/MAT Catherine Street between Monroe & Cherry Streets, Lower East Side |
| Sunday May 6 | Gowanus: E-waste Warehouse 469 President Street at corner of Nevins Street, Brooklyn |
| Saturday May 12 | Hell's Kitchen: Manhattan Plaza South side of West 43rd Street between 9th & 10th Avenues, Manhattan |
| Saturday May 19 | Carroll Gardens: Smith Street Smith Street between President & Union Streets, Brooklyn |
| Sunday May 20 | Stuyvesant Town 14th St. loop, enter on 14th Street & Avenue A, Manhattan |
For more information about recycling, or to learn more about the Ecology Center and how you can participate, visit lesecologycenter.org, call 212-477-4022, or email info@lesecologycenter.org.
Watch the Video: Tekserve January eWaste Recycling Event
See the event in action -- check out video footage from the January 2012 event, featuring brief interviews with the Lower East Side Ecology Center and Tekserve staff:
If you'd like to share this video on your web page or blog, feel free to embed it in your posts.
Why Recycle Your Electronics?
The components in many electronics can be incredibly hazardous to the environment - contributing up to 70% of the toxins found in landfills - so it's important that they are properly recycled. Find out more through our links to articles on computer recycling. Sponsored collection events, like this one, are one of the easiest ways to properly dispose of your old gadgets in NYC. Due to funding constraints, the city's electronics recycling events and the Build It Green electronics drop-off program have been suspended.
Questions about Recycling
For more frequently asked recycling questions, see the Lower Eastside Ecology Center E-waste FAQ or contact The Lower East Ecology Center directly at (212) 477-4022.
Is my personal information on my computer safe? Do I have to delete the hard drive?
The Lower East Side Ecology Center requires the electronics recycler to safeguard personal information on the hard-drive by physically destroying the hard drive. However, it's never a bad idea to remove your data before you donate your electronics. For Macs, read "How do I securely erase all my data off my Mac?" For PCs, try Kill Disk or Darik's Boot and Nuke, both programs are free. For other devices, check your manual or the manufacturer's website for how to reset the device to factory settings or restore it.
What happens to the computers that people bring to events?
Computer equipment dropped off during our events is loaded into trucks and transported by to a recycling facility. The LESEC works with both WeRecycle! LLC and Sims Recycling Solutions as their Electronics Recycling Partners. They both guarantee:
- No-landfill policy: 100% of your donated electronics is broken down into component materials and used to make recycled products.
- No out-sourcing: all recycled material stays in the US to be used by American companies and is not shipped overseas.
- Components are sold to base metal brokers for use as raw materials, precious metal recovery refiners, and secondary plastics industries. Leaded CRT glass is shipped to funnel glass manufacturers.
Press & Bloggers
Our press release, press photos, and official Tekserve logos are available for you on our Press Information page. Feel free to embed the YouTube video above in your post.
Tekserve's Other Recycling Programs
Tekserve will accept your old computer and recycle it for you if you are purchasing a new computer from us. If your computer is still working, you may also trade it in for credit towards a new machine at Tekserve. Otherwise, there are drop-off points around the city, places that will accept a donation of your old computer, and also periodic recycling day events.
Bring your old iPod into Tekserve - in working condition or not - for free environmentally friendly disposal and we will offer you a 10% discount on a new iPod purchased at the same time. iPods received for recycling are processed domestically and no hazardous material is shipped overseas.
Tekserve always accepts used Apple batteries for recycling at no charge.
Where can I properly recycle my old computer?
Tekserve supports the efforts of the Lower East Side Ecology Center which runs regular e-waste collection events. The NYC Department of Sanitation has links to other recycling and donation opportunities.
Why shouldn't I just put my old computer in the trash?
Here's a good article from the National Resources Defense Council explaining the issues. The Basel Action Network has lots more information about the the global problems of e-waste.
Where can I donate my old computer?
Nearly any group accepting donations wants working computers, not junk. Many insist on fairly recent units that will get people smoothly onto the Internet. A few to try are:
cfy.org
cristina.org/dsf
thepencilbox.org
sharetechnology.org
worldcomputerexchange.org
mfta.org