Trash Isn't Goodwill's Treasure, Too Many Defective Items Donated

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Another man's trash, isn't always another man's treasure. While Goodwill stores across the nation sent out a message to stop donating worn-out and defective items, St. Pete Goodwill stores haven't had much of those issues in the last year.

A Patch reporter visited the Gandy Goodwill Thursday afternoon, and was told by management that they have had a lot of new items donated by the community to help those who have been affected by the pandemic. Donations of broken items isn't something they deal with regularly.

Management at the 34th Street North Goodwill said the same thing to Patch.

However, that's not the case with other Goodwill stores, such as in Wisconsin and Chicago. "These stores have reported an influx of flammable and hazardous donations, including lead acid batteries," AP reported. Expenses for a store rise with those items because they have to be taken out by a waste removal company in an environmentally friendly way, according to Julie Deming, a merchandising director at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin.

When you donate your new and gently used items, Goodwill organizations sell them in stores or on shopgoodwill.com and use the money generated to provide employment training and job placement services for people in the community.

The charity asks that you not drop off: items in need of repair; products that have been recalled or are unsafe; mattresses and box springs; fireworks, weapons or ammunition; paint and household chemicals; building materials; medical supplies; pet-damaged items; and food, according to theBudgetDumpster.com blog.

“We’ve had all sorts of donations with people cleaning out their house,” Deming said. “I think it’s important to educate donors that we can’t repair items.”

A professor of anthropology and climate change, Cynthia Isenhour, said that when something breaks, a lot of it is not repairable because of the low quality of materials it was built with. She also said that our homes and our storage units are filled with stuff that just doesn't last long.

A lot of people placed donations, such as couches, in the drop-off areas or behind the Goodwill buildings when stores were closed at the beginning of the pandemic. Weather conditions such as rain created mold on furniture, and other items were ruined because of weather elements. There weren't workers to bring those items inside during that time. Many Goodwill stores had to hire dump trucks to take the items away.

If you ever have questions about what Goodwill accept and not accept, check your local store's website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.