FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Doing a good deed and donating to thrift stores can be a positive move for both the group benefiting and the environment – but there are some things the thrift stores are unable to accept.

The Salvation Army’s thrift stores have a list of items that are not accepted for donation, such as broken appliances, televisions five years old or older, kerosine/gas heaters, or car parts. In the Central Valley, another thing to add to that list is printers.

“Printers don’t sell in our stores and in our auction because the toners are more expensive than the printer itself,” explained Clemence Casperian, the Regional Director of Operations, Region 3, with the local Salvation Army.

In a statement to YourCentralValley.com, Casperian explains that the donation actually ends up costing the Salvation Army money as a non-selling item needs to be sent to an electronics recycler – costing 18¢ per pound to dispose of.

“It is costing us thousands of dollars a year to dispose of,” adds Casperian.

For anyone with electronics that should be responsibly disposed of, there are places across the Central Valley that will accept them. You can find a list of CalRecycle locations by clicking here.