Waste and Recycling

Hunter's Facilities Management and Planning and Environmental, Health and Safety Departments re-accept all college-owned monitors, computer components and other electronic devices to prevent e-waste dumping in landfills and prevent subsequent leakage of such devices' toxic chemicals and acids from leaching into disposal sites. 

The campus electronics are recycled year-round. Check the below list for an overview of accepted electronic items & equipment that can be responsibly recycled.

Acceptable Electronics Items for Recycling:

• Batteries
• Business Machines
• Cables & IT accessories
• Cameras
• Computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, webcams, speakers, microphones)
• Computers
• Copiers
• Electronics Scrap
• Fax Machines
• Fluorescent Lamps
• Gaming devices
• GPS units
• Lab & medical electronics
• Laptops
• Mainframe/ Midrange
• Mobile devices (cell Phones, Tablets, PDAs, MP3 players)
• Monitors
• Networking Gear
• Phone systems
• Power supplies
• Printers & plotters (ink, toner, & cartridges)
• Routers & switches
• Scanners
• Scientific Equipment
• Security equipment
• Servers & server racks
• Stereo equipment
• Storage devices (external hard drives, solid state drives, SD cards, memory cards, card readers)
• Telecommunications Equipment
• Televisions
• Terminals
• Typewriters
• UPS
• Video & audio equipment
• Wiring & Cabling

“Let’s keep batteries out of landfill!”

Collection tubes are strategically placed around campus to accept old household batteries. When batteries are thrown into the garbage, they usually end up in landfills.  The caustic acids they contain can leak out and leach into the soil and water table. Providing drop-off points for battery recycling is a welcome addition to Hunter's sustainability effort.

Hunter has a working plan of over twenty (20) recommended actions and strategies designed to curtail campus plastic waste and promote the principles of waste minimization and diversion.

Printer and toner cartridge recycling is made available for Hunter faculty and staff who have old & depleted campus printers and toner cartridges.

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) provides year-round open collection hours for Hunter’s e-waste and printer materials. Mondays through Fridays – from 10 am to 3 pm – Hunter staff and faculty can bring and drop off their printers and toners to East Building, Room E1208  for recycling. Materials accepted include desktop printers, inkjet and toner cartridges, and miscellaneous cords and cables.

Look for the designated blue bin on the Hunter East 12th Floor!

Please NOTE, these open collection hours are for a specific category of e-waste materials only. All other ICIT-related computer equipment and accessories (including keyboards, cables, monitors, tablets, etc.) must be coordinated through the Hunter ICIT Office.

Please exercise caution when transporting these items, and leave used cartridges inside packaging (or a plastic bag) to help minimize potential toner residue and spills. We hope to see you at the collection station!

Do you have an old printer and/or cartridge ready to recycle? Reach out to green@hunter.cuny.edu for more information.

We’re Getting Greener!

Centralized waste and recycling stations are being rolled out campus-wide to promote better recycling behavior and minimize campus plastic usage.

Centralized collection areas – complete with standardized signage and bin placement – have documented impacts on reducing the amount of waste discarded and ensuring less cross-contamination between waste streams.

These efficient, centralized waste & recycling stations will phase out individual office bins and enable Hunter’s collection and custodial labor to achieve optimal efficiency of our waste management practices.

Phase 1 of rollout is for East Building, Floors 8-17. Other floors and buildings will be alerted as the change progresses.