Unloading of trash at local Goodwill stores prompts message to communities – iFIBER One News

Broken furniture. Flashlights with leaking batteries. Disfigured Barbie dolls.

Problem is, too many such items could most accurately be described as trash. Many of the donations are defective or worn-out items gifts from well-intentioned people who want to reduce waste but who donate items that simply shouldnt be donated.

The thrift stores, wary of discouraging donations, say that, as always, they welcome most contributions, especially after a recession that inflicted harm most heavily on the lowest-income Americans, many of whom now depend on them. And they note that most of the items that arrive at their stores remain perfectly acceptable.

But in the midst of spring cleaning season, the stores want to slow a barrage of unwanted contributions that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the thrift stores, such donations aren't just a hassle to dispose of. They also magnify their garbage-disposal costs. The stores need time and staffing hours to process them.

The spikes in trash expenses can divert money away from other services the agencies could spend in their communities, like workforce development programs.

Goodwill Industries regional office out of Spokane oversees the Goodwill stores in Moses Lake and East Wenatchee. Goodwill Regional Vice President of Marketing, Heather Alexander, says the stores her district encompasses can get inundated with trash from time to time. She says some of the trash dropped off is unintentional and some of it is intentional.

Every dollar we spend on throwing out trash, takes money away from our program, Alexander told iFIBER ONE News. We do ask people to be mindful what they donate and when they donate.

Alexander says Goodwill will not accept anything that is ripped, cracked, completely broken, soiled, or anything with major blemishes.

Though, within the last decade Goodwill has created a salvage program that takes subpar items that conventional stores wouldnt accept and transfers it to various outlet stores. If the outlet stores dont accept them, they work with various recycling vendors. Alexander says the salvage program helps give additional purpose and value to donations.

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Unloading of trash at local Goodwill stores prompts message to communities - iFIBER One News