Inhabitat Visits the New LES Ecology Center E-Waste Collection Warehouse in Gowanus

The <a href="http://www.lesecologycenter.org/" target="_blank">Lower East Side Ecology Center</a> opened their e-waste warehouse in Gowanus, Brooklyn just last week, and Inhabitat got an inside look at the new facility. The permanent facility will complement the organization's ongoing electronic waste collection events throughout the city, serving as a storage and sorting depot where anyone can bring their old computers, televisions, stereos, and the like to ensure that the precious metals, plastics, and toxins inside are properly extracted and recycled. Because of New York State's recently passed <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/65583.html" target="_blank">Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act</a>, proper recycling of electronic products will gradually become law for businesses and private citizens, making spaces such as this crucial to the process. Click ahead to see more from our tour of the space and learn more about the e-waste sorting process.

The warehouse, located at 469 President Street, accepts computers, televisions, monitors, radios, printers, cell phones, and most other electronic.

When equipment is dropped off at the warehouse, owners must fill out forms describing all items delivered, and may acquire a tax deduction for their donations. Items are organized by type, with special attention paid to toxic metals such as lead in CRT televisions.

Each pile of materials is bundled and made ready to ship to a recycling facility.Computers and televisions are sent to WeRecycle! in Mount Vernon, NY, where materials are separated and shredded to create more manageable scraps of plastic and metal.

The space itself is a simple industrial shell, which reduces operating cost and energy usage to a minimum. Some natural light streams in through skylights, while High Intensity Discharge lighting complements the natural illumination.

visitors can learn more about different types of recycling techniques and rules, take in some upcycled trash art, and even appreciate a collection of antique and rare electronics saved from the shredder by warehouse employees.

The LES Ecology Center's new warehouse represents a crucial step in the development of a new solid waste management paradigm in New York City.