Livingston’s Electronic Recycling Vendor Declares Bankruptcy

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Livingston officials are asking residents to dispose of their unwanted e-trash at an upcoming county event after the town’s electronics recycling vendor recently filed for bankruptcy.

The unexpected bankruptcy has temporarily left Livingston without a provider to host its popular electronics recycling events, township officials announced earlier this month.

Electronics recycling is mandatory in New Jersey. Items cannot be placed at the curb for collection, according to New Jersey state law and the township’s recycling ordinance.

Township Recycling Coordinator and Deputy Township Manager Russ Jones said that Livingston is in the process of “evaluating different options and vendors” in order to properly secure future electronics recycling dates.

Previous electronics recycling events – which have been going on for 13 years – have been “very successful,” generating revenue for the township from New Jersey’s Municipal Recycling Tonnage Grant Program, according to a municipal news release.

“Unfortunately, our existing vendor’s bankruptcy and our not being able to quickly obtain another qualified vendor means we won’t be able to have a spring event this year,” Township Manager Barry Lewis said. “However, we are working to make sure we’ll have all aspects of this researched, approved, and ready to go to hold Electronics Recycling events in June and October, as usual.”

For now, Livingston officials are encouraging residents to dispose of their e-waste at the Essex County Electronics Recycling Event on May 18 in Cedar Grove. (Learn more about this event here)

“It’s an inconvenience to have our own spring Electronics Recycling event canceled, but the county event offers an alternative to those who may not be able to wait until June,” Lewis said.

For information about recycling in Livingston, visit www.livingstonnj.org/Recycling

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