Guidance for Households
Management of Used Electronic Equipment by Households
Used electronic equipment from households is not currently regulated as hazardous waste, however, households are strongly encouraged to make use of reuse and recycling programs. There are several options available for households to responsibly manage their used electronic equipment:
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Municipal Collection Programs
Recycling and disposal opportunities for household wastes vary by municipality, with many municipalities offering household hazardous waste collection programs that accept used electronic equipment. Some transfer stations also collect used electronic equipment for recycling. Please check with your municipality for more information on recycling or disposing used electronic equipment. More information on Household Hazardous Waste collection programs is available. Some of these programs accept electronic wastes.
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Manufacturer TakeBack Programs
Several manufacturers have established takeback programs for used electronic equipment. The Computer TakeBack Campaign has compiled a report entitled, "Recycling Your Computer: Which Companies Will Take Back Your Old Computer?" which tells you who offers what services, how to use them, and how to get free recycling in some cases. This report is listed on the right hand side of this page under "Offsite Links." Note: The information in this report is current as of September 4, 2008. Manufacturers do change their takeback programs from time to time, so be sure to verify details on the company's websites, or check for updated versions of this report on the Computer TakeBack Campaign's website listed on the right hand side of this page under "Offsite Links."
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Donation and Reuse Opportunities
Goodwill Industries has partnered with Dell to create RECONNECT™, a free program for households to reuse and recycle unwanted computer equipment. Households may bring in donations to their participating local Goodwill store or Goodwill donation drop-off site. For more information and a list of participating New York locations visit the RECONNECT™ Partnership website, listed on the right hand side of this page under "Offsite Links."
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has compiled a list of other donation, reuse, and recycling programs for households. Many of these programs are available to households in New York State. Visit the USEPA website, listed on the right hand side of this page under "Offsite Links" for a listing of such programs.
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Commercial Dismantler/Recyclers of Used Electronic Equipment
Households can check with a commercial dismantler/reycler in their area, to see if the facility accepts the type of electronic equipment they wish to recycle.
Digital Television (DTV) Conversion Information
On June 12th, 2009, television stations nationwide must switch from the analog method of transmitting TV signals to DTV. More information on the Digital Television (DTV) Conversion is available.
