MoveOutATX Brings Donation Stations To U.T. Students

City collaborates to turn West Campus discards into beneficial resources

Beginning July 20, 2019, loads of unwanted furniture, housewares and other gently used materials in Austin will be given another life. MoveOutATX provides students with easy access to donation stations in the University of Texas area.

Participants and volunteers will receive a “Perk” sticker – redeemable for discounts and giveaways at more than 25 local eateries and retailers valid through July 31.
 
“MoveOutATX connects university students with reuse organizations to keep gently used, much needed items out of landfills during move-out season. Last year, the program had three drop-off locations and kept about 62 tons of materials out of local landfills. That’s almost 23 school busses filled floor to ceiling. It’s also more than $150,000 in economic value to our local economy,” said Austin Resource Recovery Interim Director, Richard McHale. “We’re hoping to top that in 2019 by transforming even more would-be ‘trash’ into opportunities to help others.”

In addition to putting these materials to use, MoveOutATX serves as an important solution to unsafe conditions caused by stacks of furniture and supplies left along curb sides, backstreets and parking lots.

This can cause public health issues and create barriers for emergency vehicle access. Unwanted materials left outside during move out often get wet, attract insects, generate mold and quickly become landfill trash. MoveOutATX focuses on providing conveniently located donation stations staffed by local reuse organizations and community volunteers. 
 
“Most students want to do the right thing, but in the rush and chaos of moving, a lot of things get thrown away or abandoned. We’re hoping to make it simple and convenient for students so we can save usable materials from landfills, put them back to work in our community and have a cleaner, greener West Campus,” said Maddie Morgan, Austin Resource Recovery Planner III.

This year’s drop off days/times:

• Sat/Sun, July 20 – 21, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Fri/Sat/Sun, July 26 – 28, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Wed, July 31, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

 Ten drop-off locations:

• Spider House – 2908 Fruth St. (enter off W 29th St.)
• Croix Condos – Across from 706 W 25^th St.
• Pearl Street Co-Op – 2102 Pearl St. (courtyard)
• Cain & Abel’s – 2313 Rio Grande St. (near alley)
• Lenox Condos – Across from 2216 San Gabriel St.
• Escala Condos – 1000 W. 26^th St. (near intersection of Poplar St. & San Gabriel St.)
• Casa de Salado – Across from 2615 Salado St.
• 26 West – 510 West 26^th St. (across from GrandMarc)
• University Co-Op East – 2902 Medical Arts St. (parking lot behind former store)
• Texan Tower – 2505 San Gabriel St.

Spearheaded by Austin Resource Recovery, MoveOutATX is a collaboration between City of Austin Resource Recovery, Code, Public Works and Transportation Departments along with University of Texas Office of Sustainability, State of Texas Alliance for Recycling and Keep Austin Beautiful.
 
Participating Reuse Organizations include:

• Austin Creative Reuse
• Central Texas Food Bank
• Goodwill Central Texas
• Salvation Army Family Stores
• Street Youth Ministry
• Arms of Hope
• JOSCO Products
• JunkLuggers
• Uptown Cheapskate

For a list of accepted donation items and additional information, please visit MoveOutATX.Org.

Austin Resource Recovery provides a wide range of services designed to transform waste into resources while keeping our community clean. Services include curbside collection of recycling, trash, yard trimmings and large brush and bulk items; street sweeping; dead animal collection; household hazardous waste disposal and recycling; and outreach and education. In December 2011, the Austin City Council approved the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan, which is the City’s road map to Zero Waste. The City of Austin is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to area landfills by 90 percent by 2040 or sooner.