Want to Dispose of Potentially Harmful Household Items in New York City? DSNY Announces Additional SAFE Disposal Events

Department of Sanitation announced the second round of the Department’s SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics) Disposal events to provide City residents with a one-stop drop-off to safely dispose of potentially harmful household products.

The next SAFE Disposal event on Staten Island will be held:

Saturday, September 12
Midland Beach Parking Lot - Father Capodanno Blvd and Hunter Ave
Cars approach from Midland Ave.

All events are held rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Household products such as pesticides, strong cleaners, mercury-containing devices, paints, automotive fluids, and medications may be brought to the drop-off events. Residents may also bring electronics, which can no longer be thrown away, because of a New York state law.

To identify harmful products, look for items marked DANGER, WARNING, POISON, or CAUTION. Please also bring other materials stored in your home that you know may be harmful. Only NYC residential waste will be accepted.

Examples of Accepted Items

• Automotive products such as motor oil, transmission fluid, and auto batteries
• Personal care items like unwanted medicines or cosmetics
• Thermometers
• Syringes (clearly labeled and packaged in a “sharps” container or other leak proof, puncture-resistant container)
• Household products such as pesticides, paint, hazardous cleaners, spent compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Electronics, such as computers, televisions, and printers.
   

Materials collected are either recycled, blended for fuel, or sent to licensed hazardous waste treatment facilities for safe disposal.

Electronics are responsibly recycled or refurbished for reuse through e-cycleNYC.

Unwanted medications are managed by environmental police and incinerated to prevent unintentional poisonings or entry into the water supply. DSNY relies on several partners and contractors to make these events a success, including the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, MCU Park, Surf Ave Parking LLC, Columbia University, Teachers College, Covanta Energy, Electronic Recyclers International, and Veolia ES Technical Solutions.

For those unable to participate in these events, visit www.nyc.gov/safedisposal or contact 311 for other year round options to handle auto products, batteries, cell phones, electronics, fluorescent lamps, latex paint, mercury devices, and syringes.