Recycling Centers in New York
Find local recycling drop-off locations across New York. Browse by city to see nearby facilities with hours and contact information.
Recycling in New York
New York has 119 recycling centers across 26 cities, heavily concentrated in New York City, including municipal drop-off and sanitation sites, electronics recyclers, scrap-metal yards, and document-shredding operations. The state has a 5-cent beverage-container deposit under the Returnable Container Act (the 'Bottle Bill'), which covers soda, beer and malt beverages, water, and sparkling water in glass, metal, or plastic containers under one gallon. New York also enforces a statewide electronics landfill ban: under the Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, consumers have been barred from disposing of covered electronics in the trash since January 1, 2015. The program is administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
Recycling capacity is overwhelmingly concentrated in New York City's boroughs. Brooklyn leads with 37 centers and New York (Manhattan) follows with 34, ahead of the Bronx with 10 and Flushing and Long Island City in Queens each with 5. These areas offer the widest mix of drop-off sites, scrap yards, and electronics recyclers in the state.
New York residents recycle through curbside programs and return deposit containers to stores and redemption centers for their nickel back. Covered electronics must be recycled rather than trashed, and manufacturers are required to offer free, convenient take-back. In New York City, curbside collection is run by the NYC Sanitation Department, while private processors such as Shredtronics handle electronics and document destruction. NYSDEC oversees the Bottle Bill and the e-waste recycling program statewide.
Top Cities by Number of Centers
All Cities in New York
Recycling in New York — FAQ
Does New York have a bottle deposit?
Yes. New York's Returnable Container Act requires a 5-cent deposit on soda, beer and malt beverages, water, and sparkling water in glass, metal, or plastic containers under one gallon. You pay the nickel at purchase and get it back by returning empties to a store or redemption center. Juice, wine, liquor, tea, and coffee are currently excluded.
How do I recycle in New York?
Use curbside recycling for paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, and metal cans, and return deposit containers for your refund. Covered electronics must be recycled rather than trashed. In New York City, recycling is collected by the Sanitation Department. The directory lists 119 centers across 26 cities; hours and accepted materials vary locally, so confirm first.
Is it illegal to throw away electronics in New York?
Yes. Under the Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, New York consumers have been banned from disposing of covered electronics in the trash since January 1, 2015. Manufacturers must provide a free and convenient way to recycle covered equipment instead.
Where are the biggest recycling hubs in New York?
Brooklyn leads with 37 listed centers and Manhattan (New York) follows with 34, ahead of the Bronx with 10 and the Queens neighborhoods of Flushing and Long Island City with 5 each. New York City's boroughs hold the vast majority of the state's listed centers.