Goodwill is one of the region’s largest recyclers. You could say we were one of the original recyclers, repairing and selling donated items in the early 20th century. Today, we work with local agencies to recycle and re-purpose everything from electronics to books, and textiles to plastic toys, keeping tens of millions of pounds out of the landfills each year.
44.6
MILLION POUNDS
We received 55 million pounds of donated goods, of which 80% was sold or recycled – saving 44.6 million pounds of waste from going to landfills last year.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
How You Can Help?
There are many simple ways to incorporate sustainability into your everyday routine.
Donate It
Don’t throw it away – donate it! By donating your gently used household items to Goodwill, you give them a second chance. Maybe that purple jumpsuit no longer brings you joy, or you upgraded your blender, but your old one still works – let someone else give them new life and keep them out of the landfill. Plus, your donation will help provide free job training and education services to people in our community – a win-win.
Properly Recycle
What do you do with the items that can’t be donated? Goodwill is unable to accept some items due to safety, hazardous materials and other issues (see our donation guidelines here). However, there are places that can recycle everything from used batteries to plastic containers and styrofoam packaging. Check with your local refuse department for links to recycling centers.
E-Cycle
Goodwill partners with E-Cycle Washington to recycle unsold or non-working donated electronics making it easy for Washington residents to recycle their broken, obsolete or worn-out electronics. Electronic products contain valuable materials that can be recycled and toxic chemicals that should be kept out of the landfill. Most of our locations accept e-cycle – check our locations page for a store near you.
What can I recycle FREE at Goodwill?
- Televisions / monitors
- Computers / laptops
- Monitors
- Tablets / e-readers
- Portable DVD players
*We are not able to accept printers, keyboards, toner cartridges or cell phones at this time.
Alternative Recycling Options
You’ve collected a bag of plastic containers but don’t know where to properly recycle them? The Washington State Department of Ecology provides an easy-to-use search form to locate recycling services in your area.