Electronics and E-Waste

It’s ILLEGAL to dispose of certain electronic devices with trash or recycling. Some electronics contain harmful materials and are toxic to the environment.

Types of E-Waste

Only certain electronic items qualify as e-waste under the NYS Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act. Check the full list of items covered by the act.

Computers

  • Desktop towers
  • Laptops
  • Small-scale servers

Computer accessories (peripherals)

  • Monitors
  • Electronic keyboards, mice and pointing devices
  • Printers, scanners, and fax machines
  • External hard drives

TV and video equipment

  • Televisions
  • VCRs, DVD players, and DVRs
  • Cable boxes, digital converters, and satellite receivers
  • Cathode ray tubes

Portable electronic devices

  • Cell phones, tablets, and e-readers
  • Portal digital music players

Home electronics

  • Electronic or video game consoles (including handheld)
  • Virtual reality headsets (with processors)
  • Digital picture frames

NOTE: Items covered under New York State’s Electronic Equipment and Telephone Recycling Acts DO NOT include most electronic household appliances (microwave ovens, refrigerators), digital cameras, radios, calculators, GPS devices, power tools, medical equipment, or batteries. Though they do not qualify as e-waste, they may still have special disposal rules.

Disposal Options

Residents

To get rid of e-waste, you must:

Businesses and Nonprofits

Small businesses (fewer than 50 full time employees) and nonprofits (fewer than 75 full time employees) are eligible for free electronics recycling provided by manufacturers. Find out more about manufacturer recycling programs.

Larger businesses must hire an electronic waste recycler. Find out more about electronics handling of businesses.

Schools

Schools must follow specific guidelines for disposal of e-waste. For more information on electronics disposal for NYC DOE Schools, contact WasteSupport@schools.nyc.gov.

NYC Agencies

NYC mayoral agencies are required to contract with a private vendor for safe handling of harmful or hazardous waste. Find out more about the City's Agency Safe Handling contract.