NYC Recycling Updates: What about Air Conditioners, Stop 'N' Swap, New Compost and Textile Sites, E-Recycling

Some days it's so hot all you want to do is drink iced mint tea, turn on the AC and pack those old sweaters far, far away. When you're ready to escape to the outdoors, we'll take your spent herbs and unwanted clothing at our Greenmarket food scrap and textile collections and provide fun, free Stop 'N' Swaps where you can browse for new treasures.

What about...AIR CONDITIONERS?

Are you upgrading to an Energy Star air conditioner to reduce energy use while beating the heat? Don't take that old window AC to the street just yet. First, call 311 or go online to schedule an appointment for CFC removal. The NYC Department of Sanitation will tell you when to place your unit on the curb so they can safely remove the gas and then recycle the metal.

Stop 'N' Swap is Growing!

OROE is busier than ever putting on Stop 'N' Swap® community reuse events, thanks to two recent additions to our team. Meet Carl-Harry Nau and TK Zellers, affectionately known as our Swapateers, working to bring one swap to each community district every year. Read more in our blog and click here to find an upcoming Stop 'N' Swap®.

Drop It While It's Hot

With the summer in full swing, GrowNYC's seasonal Greenmarkets are open for business. We now have 35 markets accepting food scraps for composting, and 26 offering clothing & textile recycling. This month, Poe Park, Boro Park and Williamsburg join the list of Greenmarkets where you can drop off the week's fruit and veggie trimmings and unwanted textiles.

Upcoming Events

Stop 'N' Swap® Coming to Brooklyn and the Bronx

Bring clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, house wares, games, books & toys that you no longer need, and take home something new-to-you, free! You don't have to bring something to take something. No furniture or large items, please. Learn more

Sunday, July 21 - Williamsburg
1:30pm-4:30pm, Williamsburg Community Center
195 Graham Ave (at Scholes St), Brooklyn

Saturday, July 27 - Westchester Square
12pm-3pm, Side Street Club
1332 Blondell Ave, Bronx

Electronics Recycling with the Lower East Side Ecology Center

Responsibly recycle unwanted or broken electronics (no appliances such as microwaves or refrigerators) with the LES Ecology Center at their collection in Queens. Click here for a list of what's accepted.

Sunday, July 21 - Flushing
10am-4pm, Queens Botanical Garden
Enter parking lot on Crommelin Street

GrowNYC's OFFICE OF RECYCLING OUTREACH & EDUCATION (OROE) works to improve the City's recycling rate by educating residents about recycling and waste prevention, and working with landlords to make sure building recycling programs are adequate. Our free services include apartment building recycling audits, trainings for tenants and supers, community events centered on education and special collection programs for textiles, electronics, and compost. OROE's current intensive efforts target one-quarter of New York City's residents. Our five borough-wide coordinators work on a community-by-community basis to identify and address the specific challenges to recycling within a Community District. For more information visit www.grownyc.org or call 212-788-7964.