UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS PARKING LOT

UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS PARKING LOT 46

230 Deloach St. Memphis, TN 38111

Saturday, November 07, 2026 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

This is a free event and open to everyone! Suggested donations to TEC $10 – $20

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Collection List

ITEMS	ACCEPTED	NOT ACCEPTED
Batteries	✔ Alkaline batteries ✔ Rechargeable batteries For safety, please tape battery ends before drop-off to help prevent fires.	✘ Lead acid batteries (auto, lawnmower, security systems, etc.) *Please do not bring any batteries that are leaking.
Cardboard	*Materials must be flattened, clean, and dry.
Clothing, Shoes, and Household Goods	✔ Clothing ✔ Shoes ✔ Pillows ✔ Household goods ✔ Donatable board and video games New or gently used shoes only. Please tie shoes together. *Items need to be clean and dry.	✘ Carpeting or rugs. *Nothing stained with motor oil or toxic substances.
Compost	✔ Food scraps ✔ Pizza boxes ✔ Leaves and yard waste	✘ Non-compostable plates or bags
Crayons	✔ Wax-based crayons of all shapes, brands and sizes *We will ACCEPT glitter, scented, soy and bees wax crayons.	✘ Pastels, candles, twistable crayons (unless the plastic is removed), cubed ink, or waxed play string.
Electronics	Computer Accessories: ✔ Computers (desktop & laptop) ✔ Monitors (flat screen & Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)) ✔ Computer accessories (mice, keyboards, webcams, speakers, microphones, power supplies, scanners, printers) ✔ Cables & all IT accessories, storage devices (external hard drives, solid state drives, SD cards, memory cards, card readers, etc.) ✔ Gaming devices ✔ Circuit boards/cards Office Equipment: ✔ Copiers, printers, multifunction devices, plotters and fax machines ✔ Video & audio equipment ✔ Phone systems & answering machines ✔ Projection equipment ✔ Security equipment ✔ Receivers & transmitters Mobile Devices: ✔ Cell phones, tablets, PDAs, MP3 players, cameras Cable Devices: ✔ Cable boxes (analog, digital & satellite) Data Center Equipment: ✔ Servers & server racks ✔ Storage arrays ✔ Network-related equipment ✔ Power distribution units ✔ Routers & switches ✔ Cabling, switchgear, panelboard, mainframe computer equipment & motor generator sets Entertainment Equipment: ✔ Televisions (flat screen & CRT) ✔ Stereo equipment & Hi-Fi speakers ✔ Video players & digital cameras ✔ Game consoles ✔ Accessories & cables ✔ DJ equipment Lab/Medical Equipment: ✔ Defibrillators, IV pumps, spectrometers, ultrasound equipment, anesthesia units Miscellaneous: ✔ Rechargeable dry cell batteries (nickel cadmium, nickel hydride, lithium ion) ✔ GPS units, ✔ Wires & cables ✔ Fitness trackers/smart watches	✘ Light bulbs ✘ Smoke detectors ✘ Devices containing liquid mercury or freon ✘ Broken/bare Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) ✘ Household hazardous waste ✘ Materials containing liquids ✘ Yard equipment ✘ Gas-powered equipment ✘ Radioactive materials ✘ Printed Circuit Board (PCB) containing materials ✘ Large appliances (stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers) ✘ CDs, DVDs, and cassette tapes
Ink Cartridges	✔ Any inkjet and toner cartridges.
Mattresses	✔ Clean, dry, and non-infested mattresses Limit of 2 per household. A charge of $10/mattress will be incurred beyond the 2-item limit.	✘ Pet, inflatable, or water beds
Medications	✔ Prescription and over-the-counter medications	✘ Sharps (syringes) ✘ Medical waste
Medical Equipment	Durable Medical Equipment: ✔ Wheelchairs, cushions, walkers, rollators, hemi-walkers, crutches, canes, knee scooters, and accessories ✔ Transfer boards, portable ramps, pediatric mobility equipment, shower chairs, transfer benches, bathtub safety rails, bedside commode, toilet seat risers, and toilet safety rails ✔ Hoyer lifts, patient lifts, slings, and standing aids. Hospital beds, overbed tables, trapeze bars, and bed rails ✔ New disposable items like bed pads and adult undergarments ✔ Cold therapy machines and other rehabilitation equipment Other Assistive Technology: ✔ Magnifiers, CCTVs, braille devices, talking devices, other vision aids, communication devices, hearing aids, amplifiers, alerting systems and other devices for hearing loss ✔ Adaptive recreation equipment, adapted toys and switches, daily living aids (i.e. adaptive dressing, cooking, eating devices), ergonomic equipment (i.e. sit-stand desks, footrests, cushions, positioning equipment), adapted vehicles, and low tech transportation devices (i.e. handybar, car caddie) Electronics: ✔Tablets, iPads, laptops, desktops (Windows 10 or newer; 8 GB RAM or higher; Mac systems also accepted), computer accessories (including monitors, keyboards, mice, trackballs, speakers, headsets), smart home devices / environmental controls For more information about donatable items or requesting equipment, contact tn.ttap@TN.gov or 833-772-8347. Ask for TN Technology Access Program at the prompt.	✘ Sharps (razors, needles, etc.)
Pet Supplies	✔ Crates, Dog houses & Pet carries ✔ Leashes and harnesses ✔ Food bowls and storage containers ✔ Old blankets, towels, bath mats, and comforters (must be clean) ✔ Unopened and unexpired food ✔ Cat litter ✔ Wormer, flea/tick and other preventatives that have been properly stored ✔ Dog wheelchairs ✔ Grooming supplies	✘ Opened food ✘ Dirty or wet items ✘ Broken or unusable items
Plastic Bottle Lids
Scrap Metal	✔ Aluminum, copper, brass & steel ✔ Appliances ✔ Grills ✔ Metal patio furniture ✔ Bicycles ✔ Lawn mowers ✔ Pots/pans ✔ Broken hand tools ✔ Metal construction supplies ✔ Metal fence posts ✔ Metal roofing sheets ✔ Air conditioning covers ✔ Cans ✔ Gutter parts ✔ Metal playground equipment ✔ Nails, screws, nuts, bolts, etc. ✔ Metal fire pit bowls ✔ Metal home furnishings ✔ Industrial items ✔ Chain link fence ✔ Sinks ✔ Aluminum wheels ✔ Radiators ✔ Insulated copper wire ✔ Keys	✘ Gasoline, propane, and oxygen tanks ✘ Items that contain asbestos (such as pipe insulation, acetylene tanks & surfacing material commonly found on Ibeams, tanks, & other structural and demolition debris) ✘ Lead-acid batteries or battery parts ✘ PCB capacitors and ballasts (including small capacitors) ✘ Fluorescent light ballasts ✘ Electrical transformers or transformer components and paint *Transformers and transformer components may be accepted if properly drained and documented as “certified clean.” ✘ Airbags ✘ Sealed barrels/drums, paint cans or other paint containers (only accepted if open and dry) ✘ Circuit boards, televisions, computer monitors ✘ CRT ✘ LCD ✘ Explosives, explosive residues, ammunition or shells ✘ Containers with free-flowing liquids ✘ Military scrap/explosives ✘ Poisons or corrosives (no acids or caustics) ✘ Infections materials ✘ Sharps/needles ✘ Mercury containing devices (thermometers thermostats, switches, relays, elemental, gas regulators, flame sensors, mercury vapor lamps etc.) ✘ Traffic signs or manhole covers ✘ Railroad scrap (rail, spikes or tie plates) ✘ Oils, gasoline, other petroleum products & antifreeze (This includes hydraulic fluids, gear oils and grease.) ✘ Hydraulic equipment, any material containing hazardous or toxic substances, radioactive materials or closed containers, ammunition shells or other explosives ordnance
Shredding Paper	*A shred truck will be on site to shred clean, dry confidential paper until capacity is reached.	✘ Laminated or bound paper ✘ Clips or metal
Styrofoam	✔ Clean and dry panels or blocks of Styrofoam ✔ Styrofoam coolers	✘ Anything that will break when handled ✘ Takeout containers, packing peanuts, squishy or sheet type Styrofoam
Tennis Balls	✔ New and old tennis balls	✘ Wet items
Tennis Shoes	✔ End of life sneakers and tennis shoes	✘ Dress shoes, slippers, flip flops, etc.
Tires	*The first 4 tires/rims per household are free. Over 4 tires, suggested donation: $2.50 per tire.

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Recycling roundups

What is a “recycling roundup” event?
A community event organized and hosted by Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) and local environmental supporters, where residents may drop off certain hard-to-recycle items like tires, mattresses, scrap metal, and Styrofoam to be recycled, free of charge.

Why are we doing this?
TEC is providing this service as a way to help improve Tennessee’s environment and communities, reduce litter and illegal dumping, reduce our reliance on landfills, support Tennessee’s recycling economy, and provide an important service to Tennessee households. This project is made possible by an environmental justice grant from Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Our goal is to help residents sustain these events in their communities.

What happens to these items once they are dropped off?
TEC partners with mostly local vendors to recycle these items and keep them out of landfills. We only accept certain items to ensure there is a recycling end destination for those materials. Many materials are refurbished, processed into new materials, or downgraded into other materials like rags and carpet padding.

How do I request a “Recycling Roundup” event in my community?
Our TDOT grant communities have been chosen. The application will be open to Solid Waste Directors, Councilmembers, Mayors, State Senators and Representatives. We encourage you to notify your local representatives to apply for this opportunity once the application process is open. Please check back for additional information about this opportunity. To receive monthly updates on this project, click here to register for TEC’s Recycling Roundup email newsletter.

What items can I drop off at these events?
We are accepting hard-to-recycle items like electronics, tires, scrap metal, Styrofoam, mattresses, pet supplies, and more. Items vary depending on location. Check our website for the most up to date information.

Is there a fee to drop off items?
There are no fees for residents to drop off items at our events. No items from businesses will be accepted. We do have limitations on how many tires and mattresses residents may drop off. A fee will be incurred to recycle materials beyond the allotted amount.

Memphis Recycling Roundup