Donate & Recycle Guidelines

Guidelines for donations and services during our REmarket and FreeMarket

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Donations

​All donations are distributed to our partners, who then take responsibility for re-homing or responsibly recycling the items. ​Our current partners include The Salvation Army, Renewed Computer Technology (RCT),  CNIB, and The Optic Zone.

We accept the following items for donation: 

• Clothes, shoes and accessories 
• Textiles in any condition (e.g., bedding, towels, and drapes)
• Household items (e.g., kitchen items, knickknacks, and decorative items)
• Books (all kinds — textbooks, fiction, etc.)
• Art, school, and office supplies (e.g., writing materials, pencils, notebooks, and paints)
• Eyeglasses (with or without a case)
• Surplus technology (e.g., computers, tablets, cell phones, printers, monitors, and TVs)
• Children’s toys and games (any condition)
• Mobility aids (e.g., canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, and prosthetics)
• DVDs, CDs, cassettes, video games, and VHS tapes

We do NOT accept the following items: 

• ​Large furniture (e.g., beds, dressers, couches, tables, or desks) ​

​Important notes:

• All items should be clean/washed ​and placed in tied plastic bags. 
• All breakable items should be wrapped to avoid damage.
• Kitchen/household items should be clean and free of food waste.
• If you are donating items that may contain data (e.g., smartphones, tablets, or computers), we encourage you to wipe your items and perform a factory reset prior to donation. We will not be liable for any data leaks or other incidents that occur as a result of the donation of your items. ​

Recycling & Reuse

As part of our mission to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills, we collect certain hard-to-recycle items to be responsibly recycled or reused by organizations such as TerraCycle, Pact Collective, and Plastic Flux. For the recycling of office supplies, we have partnered with Staples.

We accept the following items for recycling: 

• Metal Keys (NEW!)  - for recycling by Canada Iron & Metal Co 
• Wooden Chopsticks (NEW!) - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Corks - for reuse by the Toronto Public Library - St. Lawrence branch for art projects and for recycling at Jelineck Cork Group
• Elastic Bands - for reuse by the Toronto Public Library - St. Lawrence branch and Gorgeous & Beautiful Flowers at The Market
• Hearing Aids - recycling by EPRA 
• Empty Cannabis packaging - for recycling by Value Buds
• ​Aluminum can (pop and beer) tags - in support of The Robert Hampson Tabs for Kids Fund for the purchase of wheelchairs
• Glucose monitor sensors - for recycling by Electrical Waste
• Vegetable and Fruit plastic mesh bags - for upcycling by K, There Co.
• Contact lenses and contact lens blister packs - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Plastic milk and bread tags - in support of Danielle Cares For Chairs for the purchase of wheelchairs
• Used writing tools (e.g., pens, markers, and highlighters) - for recycling by TerraCycle via Recycling Services at Staples
• Batteries - for recycling by Call2Recycle via Recycling Services at Staples
• Ink and toner cartridges - for recycling by Recycling Services at Staples
• Prescription pill bottles (empty, with the labels and glue removed; unused or expired medications can be returned to your local pharmacy) - for recycling by  Plastic Flux and Street Health
• Cosmetic containers and packaging (empty, rinsed, dried; details about what is accepted can be found here) - for recycling by Pact Collective
• Disposable razors - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Dental hygiene waste (e.g., used tooth brushes, empty toothpaste tubes, and floss containers; more details about what is accepted can be found here) - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Single-use face masks (no reusable cloth masks or masks soiled  with medical waste) - for recycling by Canada Strong
• Cigarette butts (packed in a clear plastic bag) - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Water Filters - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Coffee Bean bags and Coffee pods - for recycling by TerraCycle
• Black Take-away plastic containers - for recycling by Plastic Flux

​We do NOT accept the following items: 

• Paint (leftover paint will be accepted by the City at Environment Days)
• Hazardous materials​

**Please do not drop off any other items, as they cannot be recycled by us and may pose a health hazard to our team and guests. If you do not see the item you wish to recycle on this list, please visit the Toronto Waste Wizard to determine how to safely dispose of your item. 

Household Hazardous Waste

We accept the following items for disposal:

Household Cleaning Products:

• Abrasive powders
• Ammonia-based cleaners
• Bleach
• Disinfectants
• Drain cleaners
• Floor and furniture polish
• Glass and mirror cleaners
• Metal and oven cleaners
• Rug and upholstery cleaners
• Silver polish
• All light bulbs

         
Personal Care Products:

• ​Alcohol-based lotions (aftershave, perfume, etc.)
• Medication and vitamins
• Nail polish and remover

Miscellaneous:

• Aerosol cans that are NOT empty (e.g. lubricant, hair spray)
• Cooking oil – large quantities (small quantities can go in the Green Bin organics)
• Fire extinguisher (with pin to lock handle)
• Mercury thermometers
• Moth balls
• Paint (leftover paint will be accepted by the City at Environment Days - or at Dulux Paints at 381 Richmond Street East)
•    

We do *not* accept:  Commercial, industrial, institutional, pathological, PCB, explosive, radioactive or unknown waste.

Have any questions? 

Just email us at [email protected], and we'll be happy to help! 

Stay connected with the Waste Reduction Group.