Sports Equipment Alternative ways to recycle Trash Consider DonationIf the item is still usable, please donate. Visit Athens’ Material Reuse page for ideas. Sports equipment that cannot fit into your container should be disposed of using a bulky item collection. Bulky item collection options may vary depending on your city. Visit your city page (residential or commercial) to confirm the process, acceptable items, collection instructions, any applicable fees, and quantity of available collections. No Bowling Balls!Bowling balls must be collected as a bulky item. Deflate Everything!Make sure to remove all air from inflatable balls prior to placing them in the trash. Do Not Recycle Sports equipment is almost always made out of mixed materials, making it impossible to recycle. If sporting equipment is unusable, put it in the garbage. Alternative Ways to Recycle Mail-In Used Baseball Equipment National mail-in programs like Pitch In For Baseball & Softball and Level the Playing Field are a great way to give your used baseball equipment a second life. Mail In Used Tennis Balls Send in your used tennis balls (in bulk) to RecycleBalls, the leading tennis ball recycling organization in North America. Donate Sports Equipment Donate your outgrown or unwanted sports equipment to an organization that will give it to kids who need it. Check out this list of organizations to get started. Ways to Reduce Buy Used Buy used equipment on online marketplaces such as Craigslist, eBay, Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace or used gear shops such as Play It Again Sports. Avoid buying safety gear, such as helmets or climbing gear, used as it may not perform as it should.