Texas Tech, City of Lubbock team up for 'Move Out Give Back' event

The City of Lubbock Solid Waste Department, in collaboration with Texas Tech University, is set to launch its annual Move Out Give Back Program on Wednesday, May 13. This initiative aims to mitigate illegal dumping and encourage reuse during the busy move-out season.

Two temporary drop-off sites are scheduled to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., providing students and residents with designated locations to donate usable items or responsibly dispose of unwanted materials. Organizers have announced that the initiative aims to encourage reuse and provide accessible resources during a period when significant amounts of waste are commonly generated.

The initiative is set to welcome a variety of reusable items, including hard-surface furniture, larger shelving units, lamps, and small household appliances such as microwaves, mini-fridges, and coffee makers. It is imperative that all items be kept clean and free of debris. On-site attendants will assess the suitability of items for return to the community.

Residents can use several drop-off locations for recycling, including the site near Elgin Avenue and 29th Street, adjacent to the LP&L substation at 2901 Elgin Ave. Additionally, the southeast parking lot of First Baptist Church at the intersection of 13th Street and Avenue V is available for this purpose.

City officials are urging residents to use designated disposal options for damaged or oversized items unsuitable for reuse. The city’s collection services are available for bulky waste that exceeds the capacity of standard dumpsters.

As thousands of students prepare to vacate campus housing, the university faces a challenge, as this time of year is frequently linked to a rise in illegal dumping in nearby neighborhoods. Organizers are setting up centralized drop-off points to divert usable goods from landfills, thereby alleviating pressure on city cleanup resources.

Officials have announced that the program serves dual purposes: advancing environmental objectives while providing community benefits by redistributing items that could otherwise be discarded as waste.