Grants help municipalities collect & recycle e-waste
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the fourth round of grant funding from the Environmental Protection Fund is being made available to help municipalities across the state address costs associated with the collection and recycling of eligible electronic wastes (e-waste). DEC will accept applications for these grants in January 2019.
"Gov. Cuomo recognizes the importance of New York's e-waste recycling laws to help protect our environment. The governor also recognizes the challenges local governments face in addressing e-waste in their communities," Seggos said. "This critical funding will provide municipalities the support and flexibility necessary to address e-waste and keep it out of our waterways and landfills."
Since Gov. Cuomo announced in 2016 that $3 million was available from the EPF to help municipalities collect and recycle e-waste, slightly more than $2 million in grant funding has been dispersed to cities, towns and villages across the state to help them mitigate expenses. Approximately $900,000 is available for the 2018 funding period. DEC will accept applications for this funding opportunity beginning January 1, 2019, and no later than Feb. 28, 2019.
New York's Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act requires electronic equipment manufacturers to offer consumers programs to collect and recycle e-waste such as computers, laptops, printers, monitors, keyboards, video game consoles, keyboards, televisions and other small electronic equipment. It diverted more than 520 million pounds of e-waste from landfills for reuse and recycling between 2011-16. As technology advances, the amount of e-waste consumers generate continues to grow. These grants will help mitigate financial pressures some local governments face in collecting and properly managing e-waste.
DEC's household hazardous waste assistance program will continue to administer the grant application process. Municipalities may receive reimbursement of up to 50 percent of eligible expenses incurred for recycling of e-waste between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018. Application materials, guidance documents and important information for Electronic Waste Assistance Grants are available on DEC's
website.
