What Happens Next to Toys

While toys provide entertainment, they are also essential tools in the cognitive and social development of a child. So, your used and unwanted toy could be a valuable resource for another family.

Donation is always the best option for “what happens next.” Here are a couple of example of local business or organizations that commonly accept gently used toys:

• Local charities
• Schools
• Churches
• Hospitals

Many toys are simply tossed out, along with valuable resources that were used to produce them. A more eco-friendly buy would be a wooden toy, which is made from a renewable resource.

Downcycling

Unlike glass or metal, plastic cannot be recycled over and over again. Because plastics can have varying physical and chemical properties, and they are often very hard to separate during reprocessing, the end product is often weaker and of a lesser quality than the original. Therefore, hard plastic toy recycling is actually “downcycling” materials into new products that cannot be recycled. Examples include:

• Plastic landscaping and decking lumber
• Filler for concrete blocks