6 Toys Banned From Goodwill Donation Centers In New York

You think you're doing something good by donating toys around the holidays, but unfortunately there are some toys that Goodwill cannot accept.

We all have a pile of things at home that are just waiting to be donated. They sit in your basement or your garage until you can finally unload them at the Goodwill and then a new pile starts. But this holiday season, if you're thinking of donating some specific toys, you might want to double check that they will accept them.

A list of things that Goodwill will accept include:

Clothing
Jewelry
Antiques and Collectibles
Books
CDs, Vinyl, and Videos
Glass & Housewares
Linens & Rugs
Artwork
Sports Equipment
Working TV's and Home Audio/Theater
Furniture (In Good Condition)
Musical Instruments
Computers
And more...

Most people just drop them off at a donation center near them. But did you know you can also arrange for a Mobile Donation Unit that they will park in your driveway for up to three days. You just load it up with your donations and they will pick it up.

However, there is also a list of things that they cannot accept like:

Large Appliances
Mattresses & Box Springs
Building Materials Including Toilets & Sinks
Paints, Solvents, and Hazardous Materials
Car Seats & Cribs
Soiled Carpet & Padding
Auto Parts & Tires
Weapons and Explosives
Soiled or Broken Furniture
And More...

Also included in the things they cannot accept include toys that have been recalled. Obviously if they have been recalled because they are dangerous they don't want to resell it to another child. You can find the list at the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Website (CPSC.gov). Some recently recalled toys include:

Zuru's Baby Shark and Mini Baby Shark Bath Toys - Recalled in June of 2023. The top fin is very hard and could cause a risk of Impalement, Laceration and Puncture Injuries to Children. The recall involves both full-size Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim bath toys and Mini Baby Shark Swimming bath toys.

Segway Ninebot P100 KickScooters - The front fork of the recalled KickScooters can break, posing fall and injury hazards to the rider.

Dreamgro Lullaby mermaid travel soothers - The recalled toy’s gold-colored soft star can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Intellio Toys Bright Builder Fort Kits - The flashlight on the recalled kits violates the mandatory federal battery-operated toy regulation because the flashlights contain button cell batteries in a compartment that can be easily opened without requiring the use of a common household tool. When button cell batteries are swallowed, the ingested batteries can cause serious injuries, internal chemical burns, and death, posing an ingestion hazard.

Red Toolbox Stanley-Branded Jr. Kids Garden Sets - The painted long hoe and rake of the recalled garden set contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead paint ban, posing a lead poisoning hazard to children.

Fisher-Price Dumbbell Toy in Baby Biceps Gift Sets - The gray caps on the end of the dumbbell toy can come off, posing a choking hazard to infants.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to toys that have been recalled and not accepted by Goodwill. For a full list of the most recent recalls, click here.