Movers encouraged to donate, recycle, dispose of unwanted items responsibly

It’s a time when one person’s refuse may be another’s gold.

Moving days mark the mid-August mass migration of Madison renters — mainly students — with leases expiring on their campus-area digs. As that happens, many unwanted possessions become destined for donation, recycling or disposal.

In an effort to reduce waste and increase community benefit, local partner agencies — the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability and We Conserve program, city of Madison, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the student group REthink Wisconsin — are working together to encourage student movers to donate usable items to charity and to dispose of trash and recyclables properly.

Movers have several options for donating their gently used items. New this year, the UW–Madison Office of Sustainability and We Conserve program are sponsoring a Donate & Take site Aug. 10-16, where students can drop off useable goods or browse the donations for wanted items.

In addition, volunteers organized by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and REthink Wisconsin will be at three trailer sites in campus-area neighborhoods Aug. 11-14 to accept donations of clean clothes, good-quality furniture, unopened nonperishable food, and other household items in decent condition. See http://www.svdpmadison.org/dont%20take.html for a list of unacceptable items. Locations and hours for all sites are listed below.

An e-waste recycling site will be set up in Lot 51 to accept electronics — working or not — including computers, monitors, TVs, phones, small appliances, and game systems, for recycling by the UW–Madison We Conserve program. Many of these items are not accepted by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

For items not suitable for reuse — including anything ripped, wet, dirty, rusty, broken, stained or smelly — movers are asked to follow city rules for trash disposal and recycling. Movers should use their green recycling carts, keep curbside trash and recycling separate, and place all trash in cans or bags. Information about extra city pickup during moving days can be found here.

Anyone interested in volunteering at one of the donation sites is encouraged to sign up here.

Donate & Take Event

Location: UW–Madison Lot 92 (214 N. Brooks St.)

Hours:

• Friday, Aug. 10 — Wednesday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

St. Vincent de Paul donation trailers

Locations:

• North Mills and Spring streets (north corner of UW–Madison Lot 51)
• West Gorham and North Henry streets (parking lot behind Holy Redeemer Church)
• 602 W. Washington Ave. (U-Haul parking lot)

Hours:

• Saturday, Aug. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 12, 1-5 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (downtown U-Haul location only)

E-Waste recycling site

Location: North Mills and Spring streets (north corner of UW–Madison Lot 51)

Hours:

• Saturday, Aug. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 12, 1-5 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Movers wishing to donate furniture or a large volume of goods may request a free scheduled pick-up through one of two options:

• For a pick-up prior to Aug. 11, call (608) 278-2920 for a St. Vincent de Paul truck (one- to two-day notice recommended).
• For same-day service or pick-ups on Aug. 11-14, call (608) 313-4086.