SAFE Disposal Events for 2016 Announced
Events Provide NYC Residents Easy Option
for Disposal of Potentially Harmful Household Items
First Event Sunday, April 3 in Brooklyn
Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia announced the first five 2016 dates for the Department’s annual SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics) Disposal events. The events provide City residents with a one-stop drop-off to safely dispose of potentially harmful household products. The first event is Sunday, April 3 in Brooklyn.
Household products such as pesticides, strong cleaners, mercury-containing devices, paints, automotive fluids, and medications may be brought to the drop-off events. Residents can also bring electronics, which may longer be left for curbside collection due to 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.
“Our SAFE Disposal events give city residents a quick, convenient way to dispose of potentially harmful products, the items many of us have in under the sink, or in the back of a closet,” said Commissioner Garcia. “We are also thankful to our partners in helping make these events a success year after year.
In 2016, DSNY will hold ten SAFE Disposal events, two per borough. The first five are:
- Brooklyn
Sunday, April 3
Prospect Park, Park Circle
Corner of Parkside Ave & Prospect Park SW – Cars enter along Parkside Ave from Ocean Ave & Lincoln Rd
Walk-in area available for residents taking public transportation
- Staten Island
Saturday, April 16
Midland Beach Parking Lot – Father Capodanno Blvd & Hunter Ave
Cars approach from Midland Ave
- Queens
Saturday, April 30
Cunningham Park, Baseball Field Parking Lot – Cars enter on Francis Lewis Blvd, between Union Turnpike & Grand Central Pkwy
Walk-in area available for residents taking public transportation
- Bronx
Saturday, May 14
Orchard Beach Parking Lot – Follow Park Drive to the end
- Manhattan
Sunday, June 26
Columbia University/Teachers College – 120th St between Broadway & Amsterdam Ave
Cars approach from Seminary Drive down Amsterdam Ave
Walk-in area available for residents taking public transportation
All events are held rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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, 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.
About the New York City Department of Sanitation
The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) promotes a healthy environment through the efficient management of solid waste and the development of environmentally sound long-range planning for handling refuse, including recyclables. The Department operates 59 district garages and manages a fleet of 2,022 rear-loading collection trucks, 450 mechanical brooms and 365 salt/sand spreaders. The Department clears litter, snow and ice from approximately 6,000 miles of City streets and removes debris from vacant lots as well as abandoned vehicles from City streets.
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