ST Vinnies has started a Green Sparks program that aims to stop thousands of electrical items going to landfill.

Electrical appliances donated to the Wangaratta store will be tested and tagged by trained volunteers and then put on sale.

The store will take new or fully functioning electrical appliances, except white goods due to lack of available space.

Laptops, tablets and computers can also be donated, which they will reset.

Functioning VHS VCRs and DVD players as well as HIFI equipment, which have become retro items of high demand are also welcome.

"We started test and tag at St Vinnies to reduce landfill," Shannon Cole St Vinnies North East area manager said.

"A couple of years ago the government changed their rules about e–waste, so we got on–board and started this."

Vinnies Shops were awarded a $250,000 grant to support this project in September 2021 from the Recycling Victoria Communities Fund according to Vinnies Victoria executive general manager commercial services, Jeff Antcliff.

"The fund is delivered by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government," he said.

"Like us, the Victorian Government is dedicated to building a circular, climate resilient, clean economy."

The Green Sparks program aims to stop over 100,000 electrical items as well as batteries ending up in landfill.

Batteries can be placed in a bin in the store where they will be collected to be recycled.

Shannon Cole said Vinnies had to reject a lot of electrical items before this test and tag program started as they could not guarantee an item's safety.

"Now we can test the functionality and the electrical safety of each item," Mr Cole said.

He said if the item is deemed safe and functional it is put on display in the store, if it doesn't pass the tests it is broken down into its parts and recycled.

The stores are still looking for test and tag volunteers.

"The test and taggers do an online training course with a test and tag trainer," Mr Cole said.

"Vinnies have two test and tag champions in the state, so the taggers can contact them if they are unsure about something.

"In different shops there are a few retired sparkies who test and tag, but overwhelmingly they are just people who have shown an interest in learning a new skill.

"Pleasingly there is a good mix of genders doing test and tagging."