Recycling and Manufacturing
Internationally Recognized Leaders
St. Vincent de Paul is an internationally recognized leader in developing recycling-based businesses. These businesses have a quadruple bottom line: they responsibly reuse and recycle products; provide quality goods and services to the community; provide jobs and job training; and generate revenue to fund our charitable activities.
For inquiries about our Recycling and Manufacturing programs, please email askme@svdp.us.
This email responds to inquiries Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mattress recycling
St. Vincent de Paul is the world leader in mattress recycling. DR3, our operation in California, was the first commercially viable mattress recycling business in the world. Today, with operations in Woodland, and Stockton, California; and Eugene, Oregon; we recycle over 400,000 mattresses and box spring foundations each year.
Appliance recycling
St. Vinnie’s offers free appliance removal from Eugene, OR and nearby local residential locations! Call to request pickup: 541-345-0595 in Eugene-Springfield, or 541-997-8460 in the Florence area.
Appliance repair has been an integral part of St. Vincent de Paul’s mission since 1983. Appliances (including refrigerators, freezers, ranges, washers and dryers) that need simple repairs are refurbished, painted and sold in our retail thrift stores.
Appliances that cannot be repaired are recycled. Each machine is stripped of components such as copper, tin, steel, plastic, motors and compressors. The oil is removed in an environmentally responsible matter. CFCs (ozone-depleting gases) are also removed and cleaned for resale.
Free appliance pickup/removal is offered Monday-Friday only, but dropped-off appliance donations are also accepted every day, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at St. Vinnie’s stores with drive-up donation lanes.
To purchase an appliance, visit one of our retail thrift stores. Most major appliances carry a 90-day warranty.
Please note: At this time, we cannot accept RV appliances. Pick up is also not available for gas appliances.
Book recycling
Too many books? Let St. Vinnie’s take them off your hands!
Our charitable outreach relies on having shelves fully stocked with books and media in our Retail Thrift stores and Online Bookstores. Donate at the drive-thru collection center at most St. Vinnie’s Retail Thrift locations.
Have tons of books?
We work with libraries, transfer stations, and nonprofits across the country to help reuse and recycle books.
For opportunities related to pickup and transportation of truckload quantities of books contact Daven by email.
Electronics recycling
St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County is a proud member of the Oregon E-Cycle Program. We accept desktop computers, laptops, computer accessories, televisions, monitors, and printers through this plan for reuse and recycling with a priority on reuse! Sales from reuse products support human service programs in Lane County and keep electronics out of the landfill. Our downstream recyclers meet strict E-Cycle standards so you can be sure these items are properly recycled.
Additionally, we go above and beyond the E-Cycle program and accept nearly all consumer electronics items for reuse and recycling!
(we cannot accept loose batteries, fluorescent bulbs, or hazardous items)
Our dedicated computer recycling and electronics recycling staff are knowledgeable and able to resell, repair, or recycle any consumer electronics. Common items donors bring us include cell phones, tablets, video games systems, stereo receivers, turntables, cords, cables, and other consumer electronics.
The St. Vinnie’s electronics recycling program is respectful of your data and all downstream vendors are R2 or E-Steward certified.
We accept electronics through our St. Vinnie’s donation centers. Find a donation center near you.
Recycled wiping rags
Clothing that is donated but not valuable or sellable is given a second chance at life with our rag recycling program!
St. Vincent de Paul sells wiping rags, cut from cotton tee shirts and clothing that we are unable to sell. Wipers come in 50 lb. boxes. Prices are as follows, per 50-lb. box:
- White Tee: $85
- Cut Terry cloth: $85
- Color Tee: $65
To place an order or get information during business hours, call our Seneca warehouse at 541-357-4314. (Mon – Fri 8:00am – 4:30pm) Contact us any time at: recycledrags@svdp.us
What’s your project? Your art? Your chore?
Give yourself or someone else a fresh start with clean rags. Consider the possibilities!
SVdP’s rag business sustains jobs, re-uses commonly discarded materials, and helps divert waste from our landfills.
Styrofoam recycling
We shred and compress #6 expanded polystyrene (what you probably think of as Styrofoam) into dense logs, making it more cost-effective to transport to recyclers. Please note: due to contamination we can no longer accept packing peanuts.
It’s affordable for businesses!
1. Businesses must set up a recycling account inquire by email (it’s fast and free).
2. Businesses must place expanded polystyrene blocks in Super Sacks (we loan these to collect the material for free).
3. Businesses must request a pickup OR deliver directly to our warehouse location during drop-off hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 1770 Prarie Road in Eugene.
Fees for businesses are as follows:
$12 fee per Super Sack or pallet of block Styrofoam. (Because of contamination we can no longer accept packing peanuts.)
Individuals can recycle small amounts of Styrofoam for free!
Individuals can drop off up to one shopping cart of expanded polystyrene per day at any St. Vinnie’s Donation Center for FREE recycling! Click for drop off locations.
*Note: A shopping cart is roughly 4 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft., or 16 cubic ft. Individuals with more than 16 cubic ft. of material must pay a recycling fee of $6 for up to two carts full (about 32 cubic ft.), or $12 for up to 64 cubic ft., which will fit in a provided “Super Sack” (a poly sack which is roughly 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 4 ft. or 64 cubic ft.)
What we accept:
White block expanded polystyrene with the #6 recycling symbol. (we DO NOT accept packing peanuts.)
NO: wet or dirty Styrofoam
NO: urethane or “spray” foams
NO: food containers clean or dirty
NO: small, broken pieces or packing peanuts
Let us pick it up!
Let us save you time and labor. We can drive to your business and pick up your Styrofoam for a fee.
You must have an existing recycling account to request a pickup. To set up an account call 541-687-5820 and ask for Daven, or inquire by email.
Once you have established a recycling account, call dispatch to arrange pickup: 541-345-0595.