Spring It Forward

The “Spring It Forward” Initiative is designed to help reduce extra waste and its environmental impact during the spring-cleaning season.

The City of Tampa's McKay Bay Waste Facility experiences an increase in tonnage each March. In March 2021, there was a 22 percent increase in waste generated. 

To help reduce waste, at the beginning of spring, residents are encouraged to repurpose and donate their unwanted items rather than disposing of them when spring cleaning their homes.

Using the Tampa Trash and Recycling App or on the recycling website, you can search the Waste Sort to find out if a material can be reused or donated to consignment or local thrift shops. Searching for items like rechargeable power drills, to old shirts is easy. 

Taking your items to a local thrift or consignment shop can extend the life span of resources used to create items. 

"Springing your unwanted, good and working-condition items forward can help those in need," said Larry Washington, City of Tampa Solid Waste Director. “Springing It Forward also helps local charities and non-profit agencies collect gently used items. We're excited to help connect families with these resources."

Residents can download the mobile app, Tampa Trash and Recycling, for Apple or Android devices. The app can also be found on the city website tampa.gov/Recycle for convenient calendar and waste items search.