County and Goodwill Host Reuse Collection to Cut Waste

Kauaʻi County and Goodwill Industries of Hawaiʻi are partnering to stage a one day reuse collection at the Kauaʻi Resource Center, 3460 Ahukini Road in Līhuʻe, on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The drive up event is intended to divert reusable items from the landfill and make gently used goods available to local families through Goodwill s retail and community programs.

Residents, businesses, and organizations may bring clothing, small furniture, kitchen items, toys, books and shoes. Organizers asked the public to avoid bringing electronic waste, chemicals, appliances, medical equipment, food, baby items except for clothing, or broken items. Businesses and organizations with larger quantities were encouraged to schedule pick ups rather than drop off to keep the site operating smoothly. For safety attendees are asked to remain in their vehicles while staff unload items, and the county included phone numbers and online information for reuse and recycling guidance in its release.

The event has immediate practical benefits for Kauaʻi households. Reusable donations can lower costs for families shopping on fixed incomes, and Goodwill s distribution channels help send items quickly back into use rather than into landfill. For an island with finite landfill capacity and high shipping costs, keeping usable goods circulating locally reduces environmental strain and long term waste management costs that affect all ratepayers.

There are public health and equity considerations alongside those practical benefits. Reuse and repair reduce resource extraction and toxic waste that can affect air and water quality, which in turn influence community health outcomes. At the same time the restrictions on certain items such as medical equipment and most baby items highlight gaps in collection systems that often leave the most vulnerable without easy ways to donate or obtain essential supplies. Community organizations and county officials may need to coordinate additional programs to collect and sanitize medical equipment, to accept food donations safely, and to ensure families with infants and people with disabilities have equitable access to needed items.

Logistical measures such as vehicle unloading and scheduling for business pickups aim to keep the event safe and efficient, but they also underscore the importance of accessible donation options for residents without vehicles or with limited mobility. County officials pointed people to the Kauaʻi County press release on kauai.gov for details and provided phone numbers for reuse and recycling information.

This event is part of a broader effort to build local systems that reduce waste, support low income households, and address environmental health. Residents planning to participate should review the county guidance before arriving to ensure donations meet the listed criteria and to help the collection run smoothly for everyone.