Agencies are required to contract with a private vendor for safe handling of harmful and hazardous waste.
The City’s Agency Safe Handling contract helps mayoral agencies safely dispose of a subset of hazardous waste including: ballasts, batteries, electronics, fluorescent bulbs, mercury-containing devices, and sharps. For disposal of other types of hazardous waste, mayoral agencies must contact a private vendor.
Nonprofits, non-mayoral agencies, and non-New York City Public Schools are ineligible for this contract. For disposal of all types of universal, electronic, and hazardous waste, ineligible entities should contact a private vendor.
Eligible Waste Materials
Ballasts: PCB ballasts, DEHP ballasts, and lead-containing ballasts.
Batteries: Most rechargeable batteries (and cell phones) are accepted under the Call2Recycle® program, a free and easy to use program set up by rechargeable battery manufacturers. Alkaline batteries are not considered hazardous and can be thrown away in the regular trash, but it is environmentally preferable to recycle them.
Electronic Waste: Computers, tablets, smartphones and other electronic devices.
Mercury-Containing Items: Lamps, thermostats, thermometers, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), fluorescent tube lamps and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps.
Sharps: Needles, syringes, glass vials, scalpels and microscope slides that have come into contact with infectious agents.
Services Offered
Mail-back Service Mayoral agencies collect and consolidate universal waste into approved containers, then mail the sealed containers to the contractor using pre-paid shipping labels.
Removal service
This service involves ordering large storage containers to collect universal waste. When the containers are full, submit a pick-up request to the contractor. Removal service is available in peak or off-peak hours, with an option for express removal.
Broken-waste removal
This service offers safe removal of leaking batteries, broken lamps, and other hazardous broken waste. Learn about safe handling of broken waste.
Data Wiping Service Purge any sensitive information from all electronics before disposal. DSNY contractors provide mobile data wiping services, but agencies should check with their IT staff about the best way to remove sensitive information. The contractor can provide date wiping services on-site and give an itemized log of devices destroyed.
Safety Equipment Mayoral agencies can request spill kits, gloves, safety eyewear, respirators and signage.
Contract Registration and Usage
A training and detailed information about contract registration and usage can be accessed through CityShare.
Safety Training
Materials must be handled properly to protect staff and the environment. Learn more about safety training classes for City staff and facility managers.