Goodwill Donations Can Be Dropped Off At South County Solid Waste

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL —Do you have a lot of clutter in your home and no idea where to drop it off?

Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management has established a Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot Program at the South County Solid Waste Facility, 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton.

In a new partnership, Hillsborough County Solid Waste and Goodwill-Suncoast are teaming up to collect items that can be donated and repurposed. Residents who are Hillsborough County Solid Waste customers can now donate items to Goodwill at the South County Solid Waste Facility.

The idea for this program began when solid waste staff noticed quality items being thrown out by residents at the county’s Community Collection Centers, and durable and reusable goods were making their way to the landfill.

The Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot Program, which started in September, is a win for both organizations, said the county. The program shifts reusable items away from taking up precious space in Hillsborough County’s landfill and helps to reduce emissions. Donated items are then reused and resold to aid people in need. Goodwill invests between 85-90 percent of its operating budget toward its mission services annually.

So far, 174 donors have given more than 2,000 items to Goodwill at the South County Solid Waste Facility, preventing more than 5,000 pounds of material from going to the landfill.

The items that can be donated to Goodwill at the South County Solid Waste Facility are:

• Clothing
• Shoes
• Accessories (belts, purses, hats, etc.)
• Home décor items (vases, sculptures, artwork, etc.)
• Kitchen wares (dishes, cookware, flatware, etc.)
• Tools
• Toys
• Small furniture items
• Electronics (no TVs or computer monitors)

The Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot Program does not accept mattresses, televisions, computer monitors, appliances, large furniture or any broken or damaged items deemed not saleable.

However, the South County Solid Waste Facility also serves as a Community Collection Center and accepts disposal of washers, dryers, refrigerators, mattresses, furniture, televisions, computers, tires, paint and yard waste for Hillsborough County Solid Waste customers. For a complete list of what can be disposed, visit the South County Solid Waste Facility online.

The South County Solid Waste Facility, including the Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot Program, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To donate or dispose of items, residents must bring a photo ID showing their address and a printed or digital copy of their annual Hillsborough County property tax bill to show they are a Hillsborough County residential solid waste customer.

Although the Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot Program is currently only offered at the South County Solid Waste Facility, Hillsborough County provides residents access to multiple solid waste facilities for their disposal options, including bulky waste, recycling, yard waste, electronics, paint and household hazardous waste.

To learn more, visit the Hillsborough County Waste Disposal Facility page.

Stuff Your Recycling Cart For The Holidays

Many traditional "trash" items generated during the holiday can easily be recycled.

While planning for a big holiday get-together, now may be the time to consider increasing the use of your blue Hillsborough County recycling cart. Many traditional "trash" items generated during the holiday can easily be recycled, including:

• plastic bottles, jugs and containers
• liquid food containers and gable top cartons, such as those for soy milk, juice boxes, chicken broth, etc.
• aluminum, tin and steel cans
• any paper that is clean and easily tears
• newspaper, office paper, junk mail, paperback books, magazines, etc.
• flattened cardboard boxes
• paperboard food boxes, cereal boxes and paper towel rolls
• greeting cards and wrapping paper, as long as it is free of ribbons, foil, and other non-paper items
• glass bottles and jars

Recyclable food and beverage containers should be emptied and rinsed before placing them in the blue recycling cart. Toss all recyclables into the cart, without bagging.

Plastic bags and film, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, disposable utensils and tableware, polystyrene foam or styrofoam, gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons and bows are not recyclable in the blue cart.

Plastic bags and styrofoam food trays and egg cartons can be recycled at most local supermarkets in special bins. Loose and soiled bags and film should be placed in the trash cart.

Oversized boxes or volumes of recyclables that exceed the recycling cart capacity can be dropped off by county customers for free at any of the Hillsborough County community collection centers listed below:

• Hillsborough Heights, 6209 County Road 579 in Seffner
• Northwest County, 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa
• South County, 13000 U.S. 41 in Gibsonton

Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Check holiday collection days and find details about recycling.