TIPS Warehouse

TIP Warehouse
The TIP Warehouse program was boosted in the Fall of 2002 after receiving a recycling grant through the Houston-Galveston Area Council. The program is intended to reintroduce construction and deconstruction materials into the economic mainstream. Useable materials are brought into the City's Transfer Station Facility, weighed, and then stored in the TIP Warehouse. 

Indigent homeowners (meeting qualifications) and non-profit organizations enter the Disposal and Recycling Facility, weigh vehicles in empty, complete and sign a voucher, obtain the needed materials, and then weigh loaded vehicles out as they exit the facility.  Recycling staff tracks the number of vouchers issued as well as the weight of the materials diverted from the landfill. 

View the 
TIP Warehouse Presentation (PDF).

Construction & Remodeling
Before and during construction or remodeling, avoid paying disposal costs by donating usable building materials to the Trash Into Plowshares (TIP) Warehouse.

When you would like to come out and see what is available at this facility, or to make a donation, please check in at the Scale House.  We accept visitors to this facility from

7:30 am to 3:00 pm

Monday thru Friday. Closed on Saturdays.

Donation Procedures
  • Items must be in usable condition, with minimal repair or cleaning needed
  • Upon arrival at the Solid Waste and Recycling Transfer Station Facility, drive onto the scales and let the attendant know that you would like to donate usable building materials to the TIPS Warehouse
  • The Scale House attendant will weigh the loaded vehicle and then inspected the materials to be donated
  • You will be directed to the TIPS Warehouse and unload your materials
  • Once you have unloaded, drive back over to the Scale House attendant to be re-weighed.
Accepatble Building Materials for Donation
  • Bathroom Fixtures
  • Bathtubs
  • Bricks
  • Cabinets
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Cinder Blocks
  • Doors
  • Duct Work
  • Electrical Wiring
  • Light Fixtures
  • Lumber (without nails)
  • Metal Framing
  • Paneling
  • Pipes
  • Plywood
  • Shelving
  • Siding
  • Sinks
  • Tile
  • Toilets
  • Trim Boards
  • Windows
Unacceptable Building Materials
  • Appliances
  • Broken Tile
  • Broken Brick
  • Carpet or Padding
  • Chemicals or adhesives
  • Damaged/unusable materials
  • Furniture
  • Garbage
  • Hazardous Waste/materials
  • Items Broken/missing glass
  • Items with nails
  • Light Bulbs
  • Linoleum Flooring
  • Unusable Paint
  • Rusted Items
  • Sheetrock
  • Weathered Items
  • Paint

Here are a few projects that our local re-use builder Dan Philips created while using donated items from the TIPS Warehouse.

Visit this page to learn more about Dan Philips