Donate, Recycle, or Reuse?

We've all been at home a lot in recent months. And perhaps you have used some of this time to clean out your closet or go through your basement and clear out old home goods or extra appliances that have been collecting dust.

But once you have collected your unwanted and no-longer-in-use items, the question is what should you do with them?

Before you toss any of it in the trash, consider this; In 2017 the EPA, citing information from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel along with the Council for Textile Recycling, estimated that the amount of clothing and footwear recycled in 2017 was 1.7 million tons. That same year, the estimated amount of clothing and footwear that ended up in a landfill was 8.9 million tons. At 2,000 pounds in a ton, this equates to about 17.8 billion pounds of clothes and other textiles that ended up in landfills in a single year - a lot of which could be sold secondhand or be recycled.

The good news is you have several options to ensure your used clothes and home goods aren't disposed of as waste. Though it might take a little bit more time and effort on your part, taking this extra time when it comes to donating your unwanted items will give your lightly used goods a chance at a second life and make sure your well-used goods end up being recycled as opposed to ending up in the local landfill.

On average, Americans donate about 12 pounds of apparel, footwear, and household textiles per year. And while you might think that by making a donation, you've done your part to help give your home goods a new life, not all donations are created equal. You'll want to do a little homework to understand where your items can be accepted and how your donation will be used.

Tax-Deductible Donations

Thrift stores such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army are a great place to start. They accept most used household items in addition to clothes and shoes, and your donations are, as a bonus, tax-deductible, if you are able to benefit from itemized deductions. But be aware that even though you might think that your donation is going to be resold locally, most non-profits only resell about 10 to 20% of the donated items they receive at their thrift stores.

The rest is sold after the non-profit sorts and separates the donations. The majority is exported and sold as secondhand clothing around the globe. The remainder is sold to textile recyclers and recycled for various applications - your old t-shirt could end up as insulation, carpet, or even raw material used in the automotive industry. At the end of the day, about 5% of donations end up in the landfills as waste.

For-Profit Donations

You've likely seen the USAgain donation boxes in the Niwot Market and Gunbarrel King Soopers parking lots or next to the recycling facility at the Niwot Trailhead. USAgain is a for-profit textile recycler. According to their website, they accept clothes, shoes, accessories, and household textiles in reusable conditions. They do not accept furniture, mattresses, rugs, carpet, or household appliances, and your donation is not tax-deductible.

USAgain has stopped accepting donations due to COVID-19. You may have noted that the dropboxes are saran-wrapped with a small notice that the company is not actively collecting items due to the impacts of coronavirus. This has not stopped people from leaving bags or loose items around the boxes, although this is technically illegal and can be prosecuted as dumping by Boulder County.

At present, USAgain has not yet re-opened its local donation boxes for collection, so if you thought you might swing by to drop a bag of clothing off, you won't have that option until the dropboxes re-open.

Consignment

Another avenue if you have the time and your lightly-used clothes, shoes, or household items are in good condition, would be to explore local consignment options. Though ShopGirl recently closed its Niwot storefront, the consignment store is still selling online. Longmont and Boulder each have a handful of consignment shops still accepting items. Be sure to call ahead to see what they are accepting and when they are accepting new consignment items.

Some shops, such as Buffalo Exchange in Boulder, are accepting consignments by appointment only and ask that all items are freshly laundered. Fabulous Finds in Longmont limits consignment to 12 items but does offer a drop-off option. Most consignment stores pay you a percentage of your item's sale price, so if your items are in good to excellent condition, you can make a little cash while cleaning out your closet.

Recycle

At the end of the day, you may have some household items that either aren't in good enough condition to donate or simply aren't accepted by any of the aforementioned donation centers or shops. Your best bet is to check with Western Disposal or your local waste service for the best recycling options for your hard to recycle or hazardous materials. Things like oil, batteries, paint, or anything labeled toxic, combustible, poisonous, or corrosive will require special attention at the Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management facility.

Reuse

And lastly, before you toss that old sweater or pair of sneakers, ask yourself if you or someone else you know might be able to find a use for it. Finding inventive ways to give your lightly used home goods a second life might make the difference between them living a longer and more useful life or slowly decomposing in a landfill.