Make spring cleaning more sustainable!

Our event partners will be collecting electronics, prescription drugs, household recyclables, bikes, clothing, plastic bags and much more. The Forest Preserves will be also be collecting books in good, clean condition. The first 25 donors receive a free, “Don’t be Trashy” t-shirt. Grove 1.

Partners

• CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
• Helping Hands
• Chicago Creative Reuse Exchange
• Cook County Sheriff
• Cook County Department of Environment & Sustainability
• Habitat for Humanity
• Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
• Metropolitan Mayors Caucus / Feed the Loop
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)
• Midway Movers
• TerraCycle
• The Struggling Black Girl Magic Club
• Working Bikes

Accepted Items by Partner

CHaRM

• • Glass
  • Plastic bottles
  • Cardboard
  • Hard drives (for shredding)
  • Polystyrene
  • Textiles
  • E-waste

Helping Hands

• • Items: Clothing, shoes, household items, toys, and accessories.
  • Accepted Details: Blouses, coats, dresses, hats, jackets, jeans, bedspreads, drapes, sheets, sofa covers, towels, backpacks, belts, pants, scarves, shirts, socks, suits, sweaters, swimsuits, ties, tops, formal wear, undergarments, and all baby/infant clothing.
  • Household & Misc: Washcloths, blankets, curtains, quilts, toys (plastic, plush, and stuffed), gloves, handbags, costume jewelry, sleeping bags, shower curtains, pillows, baskets, wallets, purses, and tote bags.
  • Not Accepted: Mattresses; nothing wet or moldy.

Chicago Creative Reuse Exchange

• • Leftover fabrics
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Pompoms
  • Recyclable craft materials
  • Paper towel rolls
  • Bottle caps
  • Old CDs
  • Plastic containers
  • Newspaper
  • Miscellaneous art supplies
    

Cook County Sheriff

• • Unwanted/expired prescription pills
  • Cables, cell phones, and telephone devices
  • Computers, laptops, and hardware (motherboards, monitors, etc.)
  • Calculators, printers, fax machines, and game systems
  • Stereos, toasters, and blenders
  • Toner cartridges, UPS batteries, and car batteries
  • Televisions (Limit: 1 per household)
  • Offering off-site shredding

Habitat for Humanity

• • Tools and artwork
  • New/unused building materials
  • Working small appliances
  • Lawn, garden, and home goods

Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)

• • Herbicide Containers: High-density polyethylene (HDPE).
  • Requirements: Must be triple-rinsed, dry, and residue-free. Remove all caps and stickers. All sizes up to 55-gallon capacity accepted.

Midway Movers (Off-Site Document Destruction)

• • Paper documents

TerraCycle

• • Plastic & Packaging: Clean plastic bags, flexible packaging, non-woven shopping bags, plastic grocery bags, cereal bags, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, and air cushions.
  • Lightbulbs: Intact LEDs, Straight CFL, HID, and U-Bend lamps. (No broken bulbs!)
  • Office Supplies: Binder clips, fasteners, binders, card filers, correction supplies, desk organizers, label backing, markers, paper cutters, and paperclips.
  • Batteries: Dry cell batteries (Alkaline, nickel-cadmium, lithium, lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydride, iron, zinc-carbon, and silver).
  • Auto: Tire Pressure Monitor Systems (TPMS).

The Struggling Black Girl Magic Club

• • Skateboards (any size, style, or condition)
  • Roller or inline skates (any size, style, or condition)
  • Non‑motorized scooters (any size, style, or condition)
  • Protective gear (excluding helmets)
  • Shoe laces (must be fully intact)
  • Insoles
  • Toe or skate stops
  • Grip tape
  • Skate wheels (any condition)
  • Disinfectant spray (does not need to be full, but should contain some product)
  • Allen/hex keys (any size)
  • Skate plates (any size or condition)
  • School uniform pieces (any size, style, or color; items with minor damage such as pilling or broken zippers are welcome)
  • Black gym shoes (any size; should be in wearable condition)
  • Laundry detergent (any brand; open containers are welcome)

Working Bikes

• • Adult bikes (in repairable condition)
  • Gently used children’s bikes
  • Bike parts, tools, and accessories