Where to Turn Will Remove Old, Unwanted Electronics from Qualified Residents’ Homes and Bring Them to Special Waste Drop-Off Site on Muldoon Ave – Which Now Accepts E-Waste
New York, NY – City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo, South Shore Council Member Joseph Borelli and Where to Turn Executive Director Dennis McKeon announced today a new program to provide free electronic waste removal for seniors and disabled persons on Staten Island. Seniors and disabled residents are asked to call either Council members’ office starting Monday, December 10, to schedule a pick-up of their old or unwanted televisions, computers, VCRs, DVD players and other items that do not qualify for curbside disposal.
“It has been extremely difficult for most residents to comply with the new law to recycle electronic waste, but for seniors and those with physical disabilities, it is almost impossible without assistance,” Minority Leader Matteo said. “This program will ease that burden for them. Along with the new policy that allows residents to take their e-waste to the Special Waste Drop-Off Location, it is one of several ways we are working to make it easier for residents to meet these requirements.”
“With the existence and popularity of websites like Amazon and eBay, getting a TV delivered to your home has never been easier. Unfortunately, for some seniors, getting rid of their old units has been far more challenging. Local non-profit organization, Where To Turn, has been indispensable to senior citizens during the winter months through their snow shoveling program, and Council Minority Leader Matteo and I are proud to announce the expansion of this great partnership,” said Council Member Borelli
“This program is one of many ways we have worked with our elected officials to help improve the lives of Staten Islanders and to assist those who need it most – in both big and small ways,” said Dennis McKeon.
A state law which took effect Jan. 1, requires the recycling of certain consumer electronics, and made the disposal of those items in landfills illegal. As a result, these electronic waste items are no longer eligible for regular curbside pickup by the city Department of Sanitation (DSNY), and instead must be brought to special stores designated drop-off sites or brought to special “E-Waste” events held periodically during the year.
To help make it more compliance with the new e-waste law easier and more convenient, Council Minority Leader Matteo, working with DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and Councilmen Borelli, recently announced that residents would be able DSNY’s Special Waste Drop-Off Locations in each borough every Saturday and on the last Friday of each month.
However, for many seniors and those with disabilities, it is still impossible to transport these bulky items from their homes to the proper recycling facilities – which is why the Councilmen and McKeon created this program.
Where to Turn’s E-Waste Removal Program is part of larger, collaborative effort by the Council members Matteo and Borelli and the not-for-profit organization to improve the quality of life for Staten Islanders. Those efforts also include NYC Cleanup, an initiative to remove litter, debris and graffiti from the borough, and a Senior Snow Shoveling program.
How the Where to Turn E-Waste Removal Program Works:
-To qualify, you must be a senior citizen, age 65 or older, or have a physical disability.
-To schedule a pickup, please contact Council Minority Leader Matteo’s office at (718) 980-1017 or by emailing the Councilman at [email protected], or by contacting Councilman Borelli’s office at (718) 984-5151 or [email protected] and provide your name, address, phone number and a description of the electronic item to be removed. A member of Where to Turn will then contact you within two weeks to schedule a pick-up.
The following electronic items qualify for this E-waste pick-up program*:
- Televisions (including cathode ray tubes)
- Computer peripherals, including any permanently attached cable or wiring
- Monitors, laptops
- Electronic keyboards
- Electronic mice and other pointing devices
- Fax machines, document scanners, and printers that are meant for use with a computer and weigh less than 100 lbs.
- TV peripherals, including any permanently attached cable or wiring
- VCRs
- Digital video recorders
- DVD players
- Digital converter boxes
- Cable or satellite receivers
- Electronic or video game consoles
- Small scale servers
- Portable devices, including any permanently attached cable or wiring
- Portable digital music players
*Please note that all other electronic items can still be placed at curbside for DSNY collection
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