Tips for Your Agency > Office

Furniture

Whether you are buying or discarding furniture, follow these tips to minimize waste and save money.

When purchasing furniture:

• Make sure to buy durable, long-lasting, classic items that will not damage easily if your office relocates, and will remain in style over time.

• Consider leasing furniture so that the manufacturer or retailer is responsible for reuse, recycling, or disposal at the end of the lease.

• Ask suppliers about used or remanufactured furniture; prices for quality, remanufactured furniture typically range from 30 to 50 percent less than new furniture.

• Contact the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Office of Surplus Activities (OSA) at (212) 669-8550 to obtain surplus items relinquished by other City Agencies.

When discarding furniture:

• Contact the DCAS Office of Surplus Activities (212-669-8550) to donate usable items for reuse by other City Agencies.

• Donate usable furniture to charitable organizations. Before donating items, City Agencies must follow procedures for relinquishment of City property.

• Recycle damaged metal furniture. Large items that are at least 50 percent metal are required to be recycled in NYC.

• If wooden furniture is too damaged for repair or refurbishing, recycle it by contacting a wood broker to determine if it can be used as scrap wood for mulch, fuel, or other uses. NY WasteMatch, a materials broker in New York, can help your Agency find a local recycler.

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