If you are struggling with illegal dumping of electronics, furniture, and other items not allowed in garbage or recycling containers, consider providing residents with convenient collection alternatives such as a resident recycling event. This can reduce illegal dumping, keep reusable or hazardous materials out of the garbage and help reduce collection costs. You can also provide residents with information about "community take back" programs for special items.

Many local companies are willing to collect unwanted household goods, electronics, clothing, and other items for free. Contact a local charity to arrange a special pick-up day at your location, and let residents know in advance about the opportunity to properly dispose of their items.

Set Up a Share Space Is there a space onsite where residents can place reusable items they no longer want? This can be a designated corner in a garbage room, laundry room, clubhouse, or under a covered enclosure. Post signs and rules for how and what residents are allowed to leave in the Share Space.	Organize a Property-wide Garage Sale Can you reserve a portion of the parking lot or another common space for a building-wide garage sale? Select a time and date, recruit participants, and post signs. Contact a local charity to collect reusable materials not sold during the garage sale.
Host a Textile Collection Bin Clothing collection bins provide a free and convenient way for residents to donate reusable clothing. Consider hosting a clothing donation bin serviced and collected by local non-profits: Northwest Center Sight Connection	Connect Residents with E-Cycle Washington Program Partners Through E-Cycle Washington, your residents can recycle televisions, computers, monitors, laptops, e-readers, and portable DVD players for free. Visit ecyclewashington.org or call 800-RECYCLE to find electronic product recycling drop-off locations in your area. Some organizations, such as Interconnection, might be willing to pick up electronics from your property.
Encourage Use of "Take Back" Collection Locations for Other Special Items Increasingly, retailers and manufacturers are providing local opportunities for residents to "take back" items to stores or other drop-off locations. Refer residents to these great programs: Electronics E-Cycle Washington, Best Buy, and Staples CFLs and fluorescent tubes Light Recycle Washington Rechargeable batteries and phones Call 2 Recycle Plastic bags Plastic Film Recycling	Encourage Donation of Reusable Clothes and Housewares Donating reusable books, clothing, housewares and other items to local charities such as Goodwill, Northwest Center, Sight Connection and Salvation Army is an easy way to prevent unnecessary waste, keep reusable items out of the garbage, and create jobs and job training opportunities in your community.

Do you and your residents know what recycling success looks like at your property? For some properties, the year’s goal might be to increase the number of recycling containers on site. For other properties, minimizing illegal dumping may be a top priority. No matter what your property's starting point, there are always ways to improve resident recycling.

Each year, share your property's recycling goals with your residents, including why they should care and how they can help. At the end of the year, communicate and celebrate your successes.

Review your recycling program every year. Increased recycling participation, changes in unit vacancy rates, and new residents can impact the continued success of your program.

If your property only has a few garbage and recycling enclosures, or very low resident turnover, complete the Recycling Program Checklist annually. Larger properties, or properties with more than two enclosures, are encouraged to reassess their recycling program bi-annually to keep up with larger-scale changes happening onsite. If you would like to give residents feedback about specific items you are finding in the recycling containers or an overview of how the property is doing as a whole, use the WM Recycling Program Feedback doorhanger.

TIP! If property management is located on-site, recruit a resident volunteer to assist with the completion of the Recycling Program Checklist and provide recognition for their assistance.