All Mentions Of Now-Moot NYC E-Waste Program Gone from DSNY Site

The New York City Sanitation Department has removed all references to the city’s e-waste program from its website, with May 29’s signing into law of the New York state e-waste program. In an “update,” the agency that had been responsible for carrying out the city e-waste program, said that “this state law supersedes NYC’s Electronics Equipment Collection, Recycling and Reuse Act. Manufacturers are bound by the state law."

New York state’s “Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act” sets “annual statewide recycling or reuse goals” for all e-waste, DSNY said. It requires manufacturers of TVs, computers and monitors “to establish a convenient system for the collection, handling, and recycling or reuse of discarded electronic waste,” starting in April 2011, it said. In releasing final rules for the city’s e-waste program in April 2009, DSNY defined convenient collection as requiring direct pickup from residents’ homes of computers and TVs weighing more than 15 pounds. The direct collection requirement sparked the CEA and ITI Council lawsuit that was settled last week (CED July 29 p1).

The state law has no direct collection mandate but does require manufacturers to set up an ample number of collection sites to suit the size of local populations in the various municipalities. CEA and ITI have said they have been working with the Natural Resources Defense Council to “identify” potential collection sites in New York City to suit the large number of residents who don’t drive cars and can’t easily haul heavy TVs to a collection site.

The law mandates “manufacturer acceptance standards” to help achieve statewide e-waste collection goals, a recycling surcharge if standards are not met and a credit system if standards are exceeded, DSNY said. “The law describes acceptable collections, facilities, and reporting requirements for manufacturers.” The law also phases in a disposal ban for discarded electronics, it said. “Electronics disposal is banned by any manufacturer, retailer or owner or operator of an electronic waste collection site, electronic waste consolidation facility or electronic waste recycling facility by April 1, 2011, any person other than an individual or household by April 1, 2013, and by any individual or household by April 1, 2015.” Under the New York City program, a disposal ban would have kicked in last Thursday had CEA and ITI not sued and DSNY not agreed to stay enforcement of the rules until the lawsuit was resolved.