By now we have just about all heard the phrase "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", but how about repurpose? Thanks to the internet with sites like Etsy, Freecycle, Craigslist, and eBay, and most cities stepping up their recycling efforts, it has become possible for us to recycle just about anything and everything.
Since I live in Dallas, Texas, the majority of places to recycle I will be mentioning will pertain to the Dallas area. Although most cities have the same type of businesses and city services.
Here is a list of items that can easily be recycled just about anywhere:
1. Tires
2. Refrigerators
3. Washing Machines & Dryers
4. Freezers
5. Television Sets
6. computer Monitors
7. Pallets
8. Tree Limbs & Brush
9. Anything Metal
10. Concrete
11. Furniture
12. books
13. Magazines & Phone books
14. office Paper & cardboard
15. Batteries & car Batteries
16. Baby Clothes & Toys
17. Clothes
18. Sporting Goods
19. Building Materials
20. home Fixtures
21. Toilets
22. Bathtubs
23. Kitchen Cabinets
24. Glass
25. Paint
26. plastic
27. Electronics
28. Fence Boards
First of all, the fastest way to get rid of the majority of these items is to just place and ad in the free section of Craigslist. Just go to Craigslist.com and you can place an ad for free. Another good site is freecycle.com.
1. Tires- Can be dropped off at the City Of Dallas McCommas Location.5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241. Free for residents of Dallas, they will only take a few at a time.
2. Refrigerators- City Of Dallas McCommas Location. 5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241. Also can be sold to scrap metal places.
3. Washing Machines & Dryers- City Of Dallas McCommas Location. 5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241. Also can be sold to scrap metal places.
4. Freezers- City Of Dallas McCommas Location. 5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241. Also can be sold to scrap metal places.
5. Television Sets- City Of Dallas McCommas Location. 5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241. Most TV repair shops will take broken flat screens.
6. computer Monitors- City Of Dallas McCommas Location. 5500 YOUNGBLOOD; DALLAS, TX 75241.
7. Pallets- Can be taken to a pallet reclaiming location where most of them manufacture pallets. In most cases they will buy pallets or at least let you drop them off at no charge. Pallets can also be taken to places that make and sell garden mulch.
8. Tree Limbs & Brush- Can also be taken to places that make and sell garden mulch. Most of these places charge to drop off but at least it gets reused. Living Earth Technologies 1901 California Crossing Road, Dallas - (972) 869-4332.
9. Anything Metal- Any kind of metal can be recycled at a scrap metal place, it doesn't just have to be old pieces of plain scrap metal, it can be that old rusty outdoor table and chair set, or metal shelving, ladders, chain link fencing, and any other item that is metal. If the item contains any wood, plastic, rubber, or any other type of material, that will have to be removed before they will take it.
10. Concrete- Southwest Crushing in Mesquite will recycle concrete. Sometimes they are a little picky about the size of the rebar, but they are usually pretty good about taking it. If the rebar is too small, the magnet can't pick it up and it gets tangled up in the crusher.
11. Furniture- I recommend trying Goodwill and Salvation Army. If that doesn't work, next I would try putting on Craigslist for free. Sometimes donation places can be a little picky about what they take, but the general public is usually a little more forgiving.
12. books- Half price books will buy your books, or at least take them at no charge and recycle them.
13. Magazines & Phone Books- Corrugated Services 726 Walnut St Garland TX 75040 972-494-4059.
14. office Paper & cardboard- Corrugated Services 726 Walnut St Garland TX 75040 972-494-4059.
15. Batteries & car Batteries- Best buy has drop off bins in the front of their store where you can drop off cell phone and regular batteries. Scrap metal places and used battery stores will buy your car batteries.
16. Baby Clothes & Toys- Once Upon A Child is a resale shop in Mesquite that buys baby clothes & toys.
17. Clothes- Their are plenty of clothing resale shops that buy clothes and do consignment. Gently Owned & Buffalo Exchange are just a couple.
18. Sporting Goods- Play it again sports is a sporting goods resale shop.
19. Building Materials- Habitat For Humanity accepts building materials donations.
20. home Fixtures- Habitat For Humanity accepts home fixture donations.
21. Toilets- Habitat For Humanity accepts home fixture donations.
22. Bathtubs- Habitat For Humanity accepts home fixture donations.
23. Kitchen Cabinets- Habitat For Humanity accepts home fixture donations.
24. Paint- HOME CHEMICAL collectION CENTER 11234 Plano Road Dallas, Texas 75243 (214) 553-1765. They accept paint, and other cleaners, and chemicals.
25. plastic- plastic Recycling Center 9704 State Hwy 276 Royse City, Texas 75189 Phone: (972) 635-2322. They accept certain types of plastic. check their website for specifics.
27. Electronics- Erecycler Llc 11067 Petal St Dallas Tx 75238 PHONE: (972) 487-6800
28. Fence Boards- Living Earth Technologies 1901 California Crossing Road, Dallas - (972) 869-4332
Another way is to have a garage sale or load it all up and go get a spot at a flea market for the weekend. For a 10 X 25 size vendor spot at Canton, it's only $40 for the whole weekend.
