The City of Tacoma’s Solid Waste utility is expanding the Beyond the Bin community reuse program in 2026, providing Tacoma residents with more ways to donate reusable household items instead of throwing them away.
Beyond the Bin is a series of free collection events that allow residents to drop off gently used household goods for reuse. Items collected at these events are redistributed or repurposed by local nonprofit partners, helping to ensure usable items remain in circulation within the community rather than entering the landfill.
The City plans to host 26 community reuse events in 2026, providing weekly opportunities for residents to donate reusable items from April to September. Events will take place on Fridays at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until the truck is full.
Partner organizations, including Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region, Habitat for Humanity, Northwest Center, Northwest Furniture Bank, and Second Use, will help ensure that donated items are repurposed and redistributed back into the community.
Beyond the Bin supports Tacoma’s broader waste reduction goals and aligns with the Tacoma 2030 Climate Action Plan, which prioritizes waste prevention and sustainable resource use.
“Last year. our Beyond the Bin program was able to prevent thousands of pounds of reusable items from getting dumped into our landfill,” said At-Large Council Member Kristina Walker. “I can’t wait to see our community engage with Beyond the Bin this year. Every Friday, starting in April, our community members will have a chance to clear out their clutter and donate items to local nonprofits that will reuse, repurpose, and redistribute them. We have made this process so easy. All you need to do is bring your usable items to the Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on a Friday. Collection trucks will be on hand and our Environmental Services staff will be there to support you. This program is a win for everyone and a great way to give back to the community.”
“Tacoma generates about 378,000 tons of waste every year and, unfortunately, almost half of it is buried in the landfill,” said District 1 Council Member John Hines. “We see furniture, kitchen wares, and a wide variety of other items that can be repaired, repurposed, and reused getting thrown away. We need to do more to reduce our waste and get valuable items back into our community. Beyond the Bin is one way that we are making waste reduction easy for our community members, and I invite everyone to check it out. I’m also grateful to our local non-profit partners, including Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Northwest Center, NW Furniture Bank, and Second Use, for participating in this important program.”
“At its core, Beyond the Bin is about providing a responsible second life for items that still have value,” said District 2 Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh. “We offer residents a seamless, environmentally friendly path for their unwanted goods, replacing the worry of illegal dumping or landfill waste with the confidence that their items are being put to good use. It’s a practical way to keep our community clean while ensuring valuable resources continue to serve others.”
More information, including a schedule of events and a list of accepted items, is available at tacoma.gov/beyondthebin.