Bond Upgrades Put Old Furniture to New Use

More than 130 tons of furniture diverted from local landfills through thoughtful reuse and recycling

What happens to classroom furniture when it’s replaced?

At ten schools across the district, classroom furniture replaced through the voter-approved 2024 bond is finding a new use through donation and recycling rather than being treated as waste.

As part of a summer 2026 pilot initiative, the district partnered with furniture reuse and recycling vendors to inspect, sort and remove old furniture. Usable items are being donated to schools and communities in the U.S. and abroad. Materials from furniture that can’t be reused are recycled whenever possible.

Across the ten schools, the district recycled or reused 261,115 pounds of furniture – more than 130 tons. For comparison, that equates to the physical weight of a fleet of 15 school buses. 

“The bond is helping us improve learning environments across the district, but we also have a responsibility to think carefully about what happens to the materials being removed,” said Stacy Lambright, the district’s energy and sustainability manager. “Extending the life of usable furniture and recycling materials when internal reuse isn’t possible supports our broader sustainability goals and reflects responsible stewardship of community resources.”

From Colorado classrooms to communities around the world

Planned donations from the furniture replacement projects include five shipping containers from Northglenn High School bound for El Salvador, two containers from Glacier Peak Elementary bound for Tanzania and one container from Glacier Peak bound for Zimbabwe. Reuse organizations look domestically first but then expand to other sources globally.

At Northglenn High School alone, 1,738 pieces of surplus classroom furniture were shipped to recipients in San Salvador, El Salvador, while another 292 pieces were recycled locally. In all, the school’s furniture replacement project diverted 2,030 pieces – more than 90,000 pounds – through reuse and recycling.

Additional furniture is being distributed internationally, extending the useful life of items that no longer meet the district’s needs but can continue serving students and communities elsewhere.

Furniture replacement is a major component of the 2024 bond, with 45 district buildings slated to receive new furnishings. The investment is part of broader work to improve learning environments and replace aging classroom furnishings, while giving school furniture that better supports their current instructional needs. 

Modern classroom furniture offers greater flexibility to support students with a range of sensory and movement needs, including seating designed to allow students to safely rock, move and self-regulate while learning.

Furniture Reuse Solutions managed the logistics for several of the schools included in the recycling and reuse project. Its president and CEO, Megan Draper, said the effort provides an alternative to sending furniture directly to the landfill.

“If there is an opportunity and we choose between landfill disposal, recycling or helping another generation do the same, why not?” Draper said.

A responsible approach to bond work

The furniture reuse and recycling effort reflects the district’s broader approach to sustainability and responsible implementation of the 2024 bond.

Before selecting vendors, Adams 12 asked how furniture would be inspected, which items could be reused, how non-reusable materials would be recycled and what documentation would be provided. That process helps the district track outcomes and verify where materials go.

“Sustainability isn’t limited to how we design and operate our buildings,” Lambright said. “It also means reducing waste and making thoughtful use of the resources already in our schools. In this case, that meant finding the best available next use for each item rather than treating all of the furniture as waste.”

Not every item can be reused or recycled. Through advance planning and clear expectations for vendors, however, the district recycled and reused more than 130 tons of material while sending usable furniture to students and communities that can continue putting it to use.