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The following items are required to be accepted by retailers or manufacturers. Call before you go, to make sure retailers are complying with the law:
In addition to mandatory programs, various retailers and manufacturers have implemented voluntary take-back programs for their products. Voluntary Take-Back Initiatives
ALSO SEE
Preserve, Stonyfield Farm, Organic Valley, and Brita have teamed up to collect and recycle number 5 plastics (like some yogurt cups, hummus tubs and other food containers) and Brita® pitcher filters. Both can be recycled via the Preserve Gimme 5 program by bringing them to a participating Whole Foods location. Batteries
Auto batteries can be recycled, and are accepted at any service station, auto supply store, or NYC Department of Sanitation Special Waste Drop-Off Site. Effective December 2006, New York City's Rechargeable Battery Law (Local Law 97 of 2005) makes it illegal for New York City residents to discard rechargeable batteries in the trash (or residential recycling containers). All NYC stores that sell rechargeable batteries or products that contain rechargeable batteries (with the exception of small food stores) must accept up to ten batteries of the same shape and size as they sell. For a list of locations near you that accept
rechargeable batteries, visit the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation's
website at: www.call2recycle.org
or call
(877)-2-RECYCLE.
Uninterrupted power supplies (UPS)
These products, usually contain lead-acid batteries, which may be too large for the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation program. Recycle unwanted UPS batteries through one of the manufacturer-sponsored take-back programs listed below, or through a recycling vendor: Some charge a processing fee, and some require the purchase of a new battery.
Under NY State (not NY City) law, carbonated soft drinks, beer and malt beverages, mineral water, soda water, and wine cooler containers have a 5 cent deposit. You can bring back your bottles and cans to any retailer that sells containers of the same type (brand, size, shape, color, and composition) for off-premises consumption, regardless of where the container was originally purchased. CARPETING
Recycle car seats, diaper bags, high chairs, jumpers, strollers, and swings. Items in excellent condition are donated to another family. The rest are dismantled, so their parts can be reused or recycled. Cell Phones 
ALSO SEE computers, tv's and electronics for take-back programs for additional electronics Recycle unwanted cell phones and accessories by dropping them off at retail locations sponsoring a take-back program. The New York State Wireless Recycling Act requires all wireless providers who sell cell phones within the state to accept cell phones for recycling. Many wireless providers have in-store collection programs and mail-back programs, where a cell phone can be sent back to the wireless provider for recycling at no cost. In addition, some cell phone manufacturers and general retailers have voluntarily set up take-back programs for cell phones. Please check, prior to taking cell phones to a location. Provider Take-Back Programs
Manufacturer Take-Back Programs
Retailer Take-Back Programs Local retailers participating in cell phone recycling programs include:
Cell phones can be sold or traded in at various online vendors. Recycle unwanted textiles, garments, and shoes through one of the manufacturer-sponsored take-back programs listed below.
ALSO SEE NYC Stuff Exchange to find out where to donate, buy, or sell gently used goods in New York City. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) 
ALSO SEE lighting in tips for your home. Compact fluorescents can be recycled at any Home Depot or IKEA, through their retail take-back programs.
ALSO SEE electronics recycling; and new homes for old stuff for places to donate, give away, or sell your unwanted electronics, or to purchase used goods. NYC's Electronic Equipment Collection, Recycling and
Reuse Act (Local Law
13 of 2008 ), will require electronics manufacturer accept their
products for recycling.
Until then, there are a number of voluntary take-back programs where you can
return used electronics.
COMPUTERS, TELEVISIONS, AND ELECTRONICS Recycle unwanted computers, monitors, televisions, and printers through one of the retailer or manufacturer-sponsored take-back programs listed below, or through a recycling vendor:
Manufacturer Take-Back Programs
Programs vary by manufacturer, many charge a processing fee, and some restrict the brands or products that they will accept. Various programs include a direct mail or shipping option.
M•A•C Cosmetics’ Back 2 M•A•C recycling program encourages customers to return six empty plastic makeup containers in return for a free lipstick. The returned containers are recycled and remanufactured into objects such as plastic pallets, snow scrapers, pencils, and paper clip holders.
KODAK offers a variety of take-back programs for many of its products, including canisters, lids, spools, and cartridges emanating from film processing, one-time-use cameras after they are processed, drums used in the photo finishing process, and DryView film cartridges. ALSO SEE toner cartridges in tips for your agency for more information on how to properly manage the use and disposal of toner cartridges. Most major toner cartridge manufacturers supply information within the product packaging about how to return cartridges. Many provide mailing labels and packing materials. Manufacturer Take-Back Programs
Retailer Take-Back Programs
ALSO SEE hanger reuse and recycling in shopping tips for your home Many dry cleaners are glad to accept metal hangers for reuse, and some have special containers for hanger drop-off.
ALSO SEE motor oil in tips for your home for more information about motor oil usage and disposal. All service stations that change oil are required to accept up to five gallons of used motor oil per day, per person at no charge.
ALSO SEE what packaging you can recycle in New York City, food and product packaging in tips for your home, and distribution packaging in tips for your business. Retailer Take-Back Programs
Many vendors voluntarily take-back pallets and crates. Specify in contracts that vendors must accept the return of the same number of pallets and crates as delivered.
ALSO SEE case studies for a detailed account of how Wakefern Food Corporation’s Shop Rite supermarkets encourage customers to bring back and reuse their shopping bags in exchange for a small credit towards their purchase. On December 13, 2008, Governor Paterson signed New York State's Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling Act (Assembly Bill A11725/ Senate Bill 8643-A), effectively superseding NYC's plastic bag recycling law. The state law requires any retail establishment that sells products and provides plastic carryout bags, and either has over 10,000 square feet of retail space or 5 or more stores located in the State with over 5,000 square feet of retail space to establish an in-store recycling program. ALSO SEE used syringes and lancets in harmful household products for more information about the safe disposal of medical sharps. All NY hospitals and nursing homes are required by law to act as collection centers for used household sharps. Make sure sharps are packaged safely and call hospitals and nursing homes for drop-off times and instructions prior to transporting materials to their facility. Visit the New York State directory of community sharps collection sites to find the location nearest you. If a hospital or nursing home refuses to take your used sharps, contact the New York State Department of Health.
Businesses or residents can return used thermostats to the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) through a participating collection point. TRC is a national program founded by thermostat manufacturers, that operates as a reverse distribution system. TRC provides recycling containers to eligible collection locations for a modest, one-time participation fee. Businesses are encouraged to become collection points.
ALSO SEE tires in tips for your home for more information about responsible tire disposal. Businesses that sell or install tires must take back tires of approximately the same size that they sell. People can recycle up to the same amount of tires that they buy new. The fee for the collection of old tires is included in the cost of new tires. |  |
Some items not accepted as part of NYC’s 
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