Surplus Electronics Recycling Procedure

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Overview
This procedure ensures the proper recycling of Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) computer equipment and other electronics in accordance with federal, state and local waste disposal regulations. Most electronics and circuit boards contain high levels of toxic heavy metals (e.g., lead, silver) that are classified as “hazardous waste” unless properly recycled.

Applicability
This procedure applies to all surplus electronics generated at WCMC, including off-site locations.

Definitions
Surplus electronics are defined as electronic equipment which contains circuit boards or other components with toxic heavy metals:

  Computers and Related Peripherals, including:
  • Central Processing Units (CPUs)
  • Keyboards
  • Monitors
  • Printers
  • Scanners
  • Servers
  • External Hard Drives
  All Other Surplus Electronics, including:
  • Televisions
  • Photocopiers
  • VCR / DVD players
  • Radios
  • Some laboratory equipment

Responsibilities

  Generators of waste surplus electronics ensure:
 
  • all surplus electronics are properly recycled and do not get disposed with normal trash,
  • the proper decontamination of equipment prior to collection, if applicable,
  • surplus electronics are labeled and stored in a secure location (e.g. not in a hallway) prior to collection, and
  • the appropriate Department is notified to schedule the collection of surplus electronics.
  Engineering and Maintenance collects electronics at WCMC upon request by generators, transports and stores electronics in the WCMC central storage facility and maintains the central storage facility.
 
  Environmental Health and Safety maintains appropriate permits and recycling/disposal records, provides training and information to the WCMC community and Engineering & Maintenance personnel as needed, assists generators in decontaminating equipment as needed and coordinate collections with the recycling vendor.
 
  Project Managers ensure that all surplus electronics generated from WCMC projects are collected, stored, and managed in accordance with this procedure. Contact EHS prior to each project to discuss surplus electronic recycling and other waste management procedures.

Procedure
Utilize the following guidelines to manage, store, and request recycling of surplus electronics:

  1. Ensure all surplus electronics are not disposed with normal trash.
     
  2. Decontaminate surplus electronics (e.g., lab equipment) which have been in contact with chemicals and/or biological materials, if applicable.
     
  3. Print out, complete, and tape “Surplus Electronics to be Recycled” sign (example below or click here for editable Acrobat PDF sign) to the surplus electronics.
     
  4. Store surplus electronics in a secure location (e.g., within the lab or office) prior to collection. Surplus electronics placed in the hallway are considered abandoned and is an illegal practice.
     
  5. Request collection:
     
    1. On-Site Locations
      This includes all locations serviced by WCMC Engineering and Maintenance (E&M), including A-E, F, LC, S, Olin, Oxford, Lasdon House, KB, DP. Submit a work order to E&M online at http://maintenanceexpress.med.cornell.edu or by calling 746-2288. E&M personnel will collect the electronics and transport them to a central storage facility.

      WCMC centrally funds the recycling costs for this program. However, generators must pay the E&M work order charge to move the equipment to the central storage facility.
       
    2. Off-site Locations
      Collections are conducted on a monthly basis by the recycling vendor. Email EHS at ehs@med.cornell.edu to request collection from off-site locations. Be sure to include:
  • Contact name and telephone number
  • Building address and room number of pick-up location
  • Type and quantity of surplus electronics to be collected
  • Access restrictions and office hours

    EHS will follow-up with the requestor to schedule the collection. There is no cost for this service to the off-site location.


References
6 NYCRR Parts 370 through 374 and 376 – hazardous waste disposal
6 NYCRR 371.1(c)(7) – prior notification for scrap metal exemption