D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has instituted a new policy that reduces waste while helping people in need.
The "Donate, Don't Discard" program collects unopened and lightly used toiletries that would have otherwise been thrown out in security lines due to TSA regulations, NBC4 Washington reported. The items are donated to organizations that work with people in need. In the program's first five months, the airport had already collected 2,300 items.
Now, the airport authority says it plans to expand the program to the Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
About 13% of people in Washington, D.C., live below the federal poverty line, and programs like this can help them access essential items like soap and shampoo. This is especially significant as recent inflation makes many of these items harder to afford. For instance, prices for care products like shampoo and deodorant spiked by 12% in the first half of 2024, according to Business Insider.
Plus, it's a win for the environment. Courtnie Gore, social impact specialist for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, told NBC4 Washington that the program had already diverted 1,160 pounds of waste from landfills from April through July. This is significant, as America's landfills are running out of space. Plus, it behooves us to limit landfill waste, as these sites contribute to all sorts of environmental issues, including the release of massive amounts of methane, a potent planet-warming gas.
This is just one example of a program taking a stand against waste while helping people in need. Big Sky Recycling recycles old cell phones and uses the profits to send care boxes to U.S. soldiers. Marriott International tackles food waste by donating surplus food to communities in need throughout Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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Kristina Filipovich with Northwest Community Food, one of the organizations benefiting from D.C.'s "Donate, Don't Discard" program, said the donations are improving the quality and quantity of toiletries available.
"It's wonderful to be able to provide these brand-name products and full-size products," she told NBC4 Washington. "They're all brands that people really love and get excited about."
While having to throw out a brand-new bottle of moisturizer or shampoo can be frustrating, Gore reminded travelers of the good their donations will do: "Just know that if you do lose something, you're a little frustrated, just know it's going to someone who really treasures it."
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