Northport to open e-waste drop-off site for village and Asharoken residents

Village of Northport officials are prepared to sign a contract that will give residents a free place to drop off e-waste.

The board of trustees on Tuesday gave Mayor George Doll authority to sign the deal, which comes at no cost to the village.

Freeport-based eWorks Electronic Services Inc. will provide a place for people to recycle electronic waste such as old computers, printers, telephones and audio equipment.

A New York State law banning the disposal of electronic waste with regular garbage took effect on Jan. 1.

Doll said residents of the Village of Asharoken will also be allowed to drop off their e-waste once the location is selected.

Village officials anticipate placing the collections container somewhere in Scudder Park off Beach Avenue, perhaps near the wastewater treatment plant, Doll said.

Village officials will be prepared to install the container once the snow and ice melt.

"It's not a Dumpster," Doll said. "It's going to be a container, which is like a tractor-trailer body, so stuff goes inside. It will be secured during the nighttime hours."

Village officials have not decided whether the center will be staffed, but Doll said it's more likely that officials will have gatekeepers -- who make sure that only residents use the beach free of charge -- keep an eye on the e-waste container.

"We don't want material from outside the two villages," he said.