How Do You Recycle a House?

Harvest eco-salvage, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, has a program that recycles houses, office buildings, ranches, stadiums—and more. Our environmental mission is simple: keep reusable and recyclable building materials out of landfills and back to work in our communities. Here’s how we do it. Our program goes far beyond donating cabinets or appliances to a thrift store. We address both reusable and structural components of buildings. Our projects range from extensive interior remodels to the complete removal of a structure. In return, donors receive a non-cash charitable tax deduction based on the appraised Fair Market Value of the real estate improvements donated.We’re old school—carrot and stick. Do the right thing environmentally, and receive a legitimate tax benefit.

What Can Be Recycled?

The majority of a building’s materials are recyclable or reusable, including:

• Reusable items: doors, windows, appliances, cabinets, fixtures, and more

Concrete (100% recyclable):

Concrete makes up basements, floors, foundations, footings, driveways, patios, garages, pools, and structural walls. Over time, residential concrete becomes as hard as granite. When deconstructed, it’s crushed into man-made gravel (1.5” minus ABC), used for:

• Roadbeds
• Drainage control
• Sub-base for new concrete construction

Recycling concrete prevents the harvesting of natural gravel from streambeds and lakes, reduces trucking and processing emissions, and closes the loop between material supply and demand. Concrete dumped in landfills takes millions of years to decompose—and consumes enormous space.

Metals (100% recyclable):

Structural steel, rebar, copper water pipes, sheet-metal ductwork, wrought iron gates, fencing, and more.

Asphalt (100% recyclable):

Ground up, reheated, and re-oiled for reuse in road surfaces, roofing, and waterproofing systems.

Who We Are

Harvest eco-salvage is a new kind of nonprofit. We are self-funded through the work we perform. Our employees have extensive construction experience and earn a living wage. We do not operate a thrift store and do not pick up household donations. From our projects:

• All reusable materials are donated to nonprofit thrift stores
• All recyclable materials are delivered to certified recycling facilities

The Tax Benefit

Our 501(c)(3) program allows donors to receive Fair Market Value real estate donation deductions based on appraised improvements—not land value. Property tax bills already separate land from improvements, and Harvest eco-salvage works with your contractor to meet all IRS requirements.

Now in our 27th year, we have expanded our program to serve the Bay Area.

Our Impact

Since 1999, we have diverted hundreds of millions of pounds of building materials from landfills and issued hundreds of millions of dollars in non-cash charitable tax deductions. We’re proud to have an unblemished IRS record—no donation has ever been questioned or refused.

To learn how our program can benefit your project, visit www.harvestecosalvage.org or contact our Bay Area office at 415-360-4631.