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School Supply Reuse Project

Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling is collecting gently used school, art and office supplies through October. Donations will help stock a temporary School Supply Reuse Room for school educators in Washington County.
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Did you know that some teachers spend their own money to buy extra supplies for their classrooms and students? At the same time, many supplies go unused in desks, closets and storage spaces in homes and offices. Or they are tossed in the garbage.

Help us make sure usable supplies do not go to waste by donating items you already have to teachers and students. It is a good time to clean out your craft bins, basements, closets and offices!

How to donate

  • Use the Recycle+ collection service. Recycle+ customers can donate used school, art and office supplies during the special collection in September and October. Please note that liquids such as paints and glues are not accepted in the Recycle+ collection service. Visit the Recycle+ webpage for details.
  • Bring donations to a drop-off location. Review the list of accepted materials and drop-off location listed below. Liquids such as glues and paints ARE accepted if taken directly to a drop-off location.

School supply drop-off locations

Miller Education Center

215 SE 6th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123

  • Saturdays, September 28 and October 5, 12-2 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct 7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, October 9 and 16, 3-6 p.m.

Hillsboro Saturday Market

150 E Main St, Hillsboro, information booth

  • Every Saturday, through October 26, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Hillsboro Downtown Hive

233 SE Washington St, Hillsboro, OR 97123

  • Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Accepted materials at donation drop-off

Image showing backpack, lunch box, thermos and organizing bins

General supplies

  • Backpacks
  • Lunch box, thermos
  • Reusable bag
  • Bins and carts for organizing supplies
  • Facial tissue (new in sealed package)
  • Feminine hygiene products (new in sealed package)
Pencils and pens

Pens, pencils and markers

  • #2 pencils
  • Pencil sharpeners
  • Pens
  • Highlighters
  • Markers (permanent, washable, dry erase)
  • Erasers, whiteboard erasers and sprays
  • White-out/correction tape
  • Color pencils
  • Pencil pouches, pencil cases
Pictures of binders, post it notes, a notebook and paper.

Paper products

  • Notebooks (spiral, composition, cute journals)
  • Notebook filler paper, 8.5 x 11 copy paper and cardstock
  • Graph paper
  • Art paper (construction, scrapbooking, drawing, etc.)
  • Folders (2-pocket, project, hanging file)
  • Binders (clean with little to no branding)
  • Workbooks, non-English books
  • Coloring and activity books
  • Post-it notes
  • Drawing/watercolor pads, note pads
  • Mailing labels and envelopes
Pictures of a glue gun, paint, brushes, yarn, beads and other arts and craft supplies.

Arts & crafts

  • Oil pastels
  • Paints (acrylic, tempera, watercolors), paint brushes
  • Crayons
  • Ink pads, stamps
  • Clay
  • Glitter and glitter glue
  • Beads
  • Foam sheets/shapes, feathers, puff balls
  • Felt, yarn, embroidery floss
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Craft kits
  • Small art tools
  • Painting canvas
Drawings of office supplies such as scissors, glue, a calculator and tape

Other office supplies

  • Stapler and staples
  • Binder clips, paper clips, thumbtacks
  • Rubber bands
  • Clipboards
  • Tape (scotch, masking, packaging) and tape dispensers
  • 1 or 3 hole punches
  • Sheet protectors
  • Labels
  • Desk organizers
  • Calculators
  • Rulers, protractors, compasses,
  • Scissors (adult and child)
  • Glue, glue sticks
Images showing blocks, stickers, a mocroscope and a map

Classroom fun

  • Seed packets
  • Educational/motivational posters
  • Building blocks
  • Science lab materials (test tubes, science kits, lab coats, eye droppers, etc.)
  • Stickers
  • Self-inking stamps
  • Small toys for prizes

Not accepted:

  • Broken or non-working items
  • Dried out glues or paints
  • Dirty or sticky materials
  • Mobile phones, computers or similar electronic devices

For teachers

The School Supply Reuse Room will be open during specific days in October to teachers from Washington County schools. If you are a teacher, sign up to receive information about the schedule for shopping the free tables in the School Supply Reuse Room.

Sign up for School Supply Reuse Room updates