The Foothills Salvage Centre continues to grow as more people take their half-used items there to be sold, instead of adding it to the landfill in the M.D. of Foothills.

The not-for-profit society has been diverting useable items from the landfill for the last 10 years.

And while they're at it they've donated up to one million dollars to charities in the Foothills and saved 530 tonnes of garbage from going into the landfill.

General Manager Candice Dupre, says last June they added a Diversion Specialist position.

"His job is to stay in the landfill bins," said Dupre. "Since June of 2016 he has pulled out 149 tonnes"

She says that brought in $58,000 revenue to the Centre, that wouldn't have been there otherwise.

Dupre says they've just completed a new building that will help them recycle even more items.  

"That building is going to house things like construction, demolition, cabinets, windows, doors and building type supplies."

She added even it you think something isn't worth selling, it probably is, there are people out there who re-use and re-purpose things, especially if it's at discount prices.

The Foothills Recycling and Salvage Society, which runs the Centre, just donated $120,000 to local charities.

Dupre says they support charities that file an application with them, and charities their volunteer workers, choose to support.

There are about 35 charities on the list including, Rowan House, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brother, Big Sisters, High River Kinnette Club, Okotoks Family Resource Centre, Food for Thought, and the Hospice Society just to name a few.