A – Z Disposal & Donation Guide for Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida
This guide is meant to help residents learn how to dispose of items properly, as well as provide ideas on where to donate items that may still have further use for another individual. Updates to this list will be continuous. For additions, deletions, and corrections, please contact: greenermiami@gmail.com.
There are some general organizations that accept varied donations:
Goodwill: Non-profit. Provides education, training, and career services to people with disadvantages. They accept many items including clothing, household items, furniture, computers, vehicles. Items should be clean and in working condition. Drop off at any Goodwill location, or arrange a pick-up for large items.
Craigslist: Local community classifieds and forums. Post your item for free, or sell it locally.
Freecycle: Free group organized locally, with the purpose to give and receive items for free. Join the Miami Yahoo group. Post a listing for your item. Provide free of charge to person interested.
A – Z listings
Air Conditioners: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition.
Appliances: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition.
Batteries: Miami-Dade County recycling, green bin. Rechargeable – Check Call2Recycle for drop-off locations near you.
Boat: Miami Rescue Mission, handles DMV paperwork and pick-up. (305)573-6340.
Books: Ask your local library if they would like the donation. SoBe Thrifty (map)
Boxes: see Cardboard.
Car: Miami Rescue Mission, handles DMV paperwork and pick-up. (305)573-6340.
Cardboard: Miami Waste Paper, 2120 NW 14th Ave, Miami (map). 305-325-0860. Monday – Friday 7 am – 5 pm, Saturday until 12 pm. A very industrial looking place, they will let you drop off your cardboard. They even pay $3 for 100 lbs. Similar businesses: Southeastern Recycling (map) 305-634-1180, Eco Paper Recycling (map) 305-887-5864.
Cell Phones: Recellular Trade-In, Wireless Recycling, Call2Recycle, TerraPass. Miami Beach: North Shore Park & Youth Center (map) and City Hall Answer Center (map), call 305.673.7080 for more info. Most Best Buy stores have prepaid envelopes available at the entrance/exit of the store.
Chemicals: Miami-Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
Clothing: Goodwill, SoBe Thrifty (map), Monday-Saturday 10am – 7pm. Located on Miami Beach, the store provides funding for HIV/AIDS clinical programs. Chapter 2 (map), Wednesday-Saturday 10am – 4pm. Items must be ready-to-wear: clean, pressed, all buttons, no stains/holes, on hangers if applicable. The revenue helps provide professional attire and career skills training to low income women seeking employment.
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: Miami-Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
Computers: Working condition – SoBe Thrifty (map). Non-working condition – Miami-Dade Trash & Recycling Center.
Cooking Oil: Put old cooking oil and grease in a container with a lid, freeze it then put it in the trash.
Electronics: Residents of unincorporated Miami-Dade County only – Trash & Recycling Center Drop-Off, with locations in North Dade, Palm Springs North, Golden Glades, West Perrine, West Little River and Moody Drive.
Eyeglasses: Any Lenscrafters store location, which goes to the Gift of Sight program.
Furniture: SoBe Thrifty (map), Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition
Grass: Do grasscycling, and help the environment.
Hair: Locks of Love, minimum 10" long plus other requirements. Used to create wigs for financially disadvantaged children with long term hair loss.
Household goods: SoBe Thrifty (map)
Ink Cartridges: Miami Beach: North Shore Park & Youth Center, 501 72nd St.; City Hall Answer Center, 1700 Convention Center Dr. (map) call 305.673.7080 for more info. Most Best Buy stores have a drop off station located at the entrance/exit of the store.
Lighting Fixtures: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition.
Magazines:
Military Uniforms: Army Navy Military Surplus, Cutler Bay (map) 305.232.7631 or Miramar (map) 954.981.1974.
Motor Oil: Up to 5 gallons, various locations in Miami Dade. Earth911 allows you to search by zip code.
Moving Supplies:
Newspaper: Don’t have recycling pick-up at your home? Stephen P. Clark Center, 1st floor near information desk before entering security. Whole Foods in Aventura between the registers and the cafe. Miami Waste Paper, 2120 NW 14th Ave, Miami. 305-325-0860: A very industrial looking place, they will let you drop off your newspaper. They even pay $1.75 for 100 lbs.
Oil-based Paints: Miami Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
Packaging Peanuts:
Paints: also see Oil-based Paints. Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE.
Pesticides: Miami Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
Plastic Bags: Most local grocery stores offer recycling of plastic bags, such as Publix and Winn Dixie. Typically accept all types of plastic bags, including those from department stores, newspaper sleeve bags and clear dry-cleaner bags. Handles made from other plastics, paper or string must be removed as they are contaminants. The bags must be clean and dry.
Plumbing: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition.
Pool Chemicals: Miami Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
RV: Miami Rescue Mission, handles DMV paperwork and pick-up. (305)573-6340.
Solvents: Miami Dade Home Chemical Collection Centers (West Dade: 8831 N.W. 58th Street, South Dade: 23707 SW 97th Avenue Gate-B) open 9 am – 5 pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
Tires: Up to 4 standard automobile tires, residents of unincorporated Miami-Dade County only – Trash & Recycling Center Drop-Off, with many locations.
Tools: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be in working condition.
Vehicles: Miami Rescue Mission, Goodwill
Wedding Gown: If you are willing to ship it, send it over to Making Memories – a nonprofit that uses the proceeds from the dresses to grant wishes to breast cancer patients.
Wigs:
Windows: Habitat for Humanity ReSTORE, must be undamaged and in working condition.
32 Responses to “A-Z Disposal & Donation Guide”
Thanks for reminding me how to recycle plastic bags.
Regarding donations, in South Beach there’s SoBe Thrifty, located at 1435 Alton Road. Their phone number is: (305) 672-7251.
I believe the proceeds go Care Resources that assist people with HIV.
Thanks for the comment, and the link. I’ll check that out soon and update the list.
Just a note to everyone: please understand that I’m publishing this list right now in a very incomplete status. I do hope that it will be a useful document, and that it will soon be more complete. It will also be a living document, updated as we receive new info. Additionally, with the help of everyone, we can make this a very comprehensive resource. Thanks so much!
I’ve just spent my vacation week doing some long-overdue spring cleaning, and have been making daily runs to the local Goodwill. I’ve still got a long way to go, so thank you for this list!
Any ideas on where to bring non-working computer equipment?
If you live in Miami-Dade county, check here for the nearest trash & recycling center that accepts used electronics (indicated by the superscript ’2′ next to the location).
Do you know of anything going on in Miami-Dade County for America Recycles Day – Nov 15, 2006? According to their website – nothing is planned in our county.
Thanks – great site!
have a few bags of cloths and some house hold items but need to know where closest drop off location, i live in cooper city fla.
Any word on where we can take thousands of Christmas cards? I am being overtaken!
Thanks for the list. I’ve been looking for places to recycle since I moved here. Is there anywhere to recycle glass (bottles, jars etc)?
Great list! Anywhere to take magazines? We have newspaper and commingled containers at our apartment block; am I correct in assuming that magazines can go in neither?
2007/05/01
What about bottles glass and plastic and aluminum cans from sodas etc???
It is the most common and most important and it is not obvious on your website. I could not spot it . . . if it is there it should be much more conspicuously posted. Why don’t we have recycling garbage cans and pick up for that? This North Miami Beach city garbage collection is worse than in some primitive underdeveloped countries!!! I was in Europe a few days ago in Germany and Scandinavia. They have three kind of garbage cans for recycling in different colors in most public locations to make it easy for the public to recycle. In the airports for example they have green yellow and blue garbage cans at every corner. We do not have this here and it is a rich country. There is no excuse. It is a shame.
I agree with Gerard ZAOUI. I was recently in Brazil. A place that is known for its poorness and poverty and practically on every corner in Rio I found recycling bins everywhere. They even had one for batteries. Its wierd but i even saw a garbage can just for diapers. How is it that such a poor country can do that but not us. I guess the government makes a lot more money that way.
I have a bunch of old running shoes with too many miles on them to be good for anyone else. Do you know of anyone who recycles shoes? I know Nike in other states uses shoes to make playgrounds. Anything like that here in Miami?
I’m trying to figure out how to recycle used batteries if I live in Coconut Grove (City of Miami handles my recycling so I only have the blue bin). Any tips?
Also where can I recycle regular paper (ie. printer)? Thanks
I would like to thank the creaters of this site. There are many of us who want to save our earth and recycle many of the products we use on a daily basis. I will glady pass this information on to my neighbors and friends.
Recycling should be a way of life in every household.
I would like to share with everyone that you can drop off all your recyclable material at Green Team Recycling, 8988 N.W. 105th Way, Miami, Fl, 305-885-7130, they accept all types of paper, printers paper, newspaper, mazazines, books, cardboard, electronics, aluminum, plastic, computers, etc. They have pick up services as well.
How do I RESPONSIBLY donate a mildly broken TV?
My 27″ Toshiba TV tipped over and “shorted out”. The damage can’t be too bad but I hate to just leave it in the alley like everyone else in South Beach does. Are there any trade schools that accept donated TVs in need of a little work? Any other suggestions? I hate to add to the landfill…
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I just moved to Miami Beach from Brooklyn, NY recently. I miss the community garden up the street from my apartment there that would accept my household’s compost. Is there al listing of anywhere nearby that accepts compost?
In response to the recycling of old athletic shoes:
There are 2 S FL Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Drop-Off Locations
Sawgrass Factory Store
12801 W. SUNRISE BLVDSTE. 1005
SUNRISE, FL 33323
Phone:
954.837.0329
and
NIKETOWN Miami
SHOPS AT SUNSET PLACE
5701 SUNSET DR S
SOUTH MIAMI, FL 33143
Phone:
305.740.0121
Miami Waste Paper takes, and even pays for, magazines. Check out “Newspapers” above for more info.
I think Miami Dade gov, should do MORE AND MORE to improve on traffic problems, enviroment problems (uses of less polluting vehicules,etc) , and parking situation .
Should be more beneficies for citizens or miami residents who use better MPG cars, promote the use of bicycles installing more bicycles parking areas and bicycles path, also promoting the use of Motorcycles, they use less gasoline, and have better use of parking space, should be free the parking in miami beach and downtown of motorcycles, so people will use them instead of use big cars, more and more incentives should improve a lot, may be 20% or 30% on poluttion, parking and trafic situation .
I work at an organic coffeeshop that uses recycled compostable paper cups. I am looking for a place to recycle my cups and other paper products as well as someone who will compost our used coffee grounds. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Located near the design district.
I am looking for a place where they pick up big cuantity of cans, like from a school. Please let me know by emailing me, thank you!
I am trying to find a local drop off for plastic bottles. Does anyone know of any in the Miami area?
Thank you!
Maeve
not so helpful to Martine, if she’s still living in Coconut Grove…but the new(ish) Ikea in Sunrise accepts batteries for recycling.
they also take compact florescent light bulbs & plastic bags (and I think I remember seeing a spot to drop old cell phones & PDAs in their recycling bin).
but most Publix locations take plastic bags too so no need to go all the way to Sunrise just for that.
I am looking for a place to dispose a tv that the frame is completely broken. It is impossible to give it like this but I do not know the disposal place. In Miami please
What about used toys? My little ones have outgrown a bunch of toys that are obviously used but still usable and I would like to donate them. Any ideas?
I am looking for a place to donate surplus office supplies and office equipment. Any suggestions? 305-796-7380
everybody should donate to this. This is such a good cause.
this is such a great thing.
FYI: Goodwill no longer does pickup of donations and Miami Rescue Mission, unfortunately has become the biggest mess and has total lack of social skills for any type of donations!!! Beware where you share your goods!