Re-Use Shop gives 93,000 items second life in Walsall
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More than 93,000 items have been given new life through Walsall Council's Re-Use Shop since it opened earlier this year, highlighting how unwanted goods can be kept in use rather than becoming waste.
The figures are being highlighted during Zero Waste Week, an annual campaign taking place during the first full week of September which encourages households, businesses, schools and community groups to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill and make better use of existing resources.
The campaign encourages people to think about whether something really needs to be thrown away, or whether it could be reused, repaired, donated or recycled instead.
Walsall’s Re-Use Shop, situated on Middlemore Lane, Aldridge, provides a practical example of this approach. Residents can donate items they no longer need at the site, where suitable goods are assessed and checked before being offered for sale.
The changing stock includes furniture, homeware, toys, books, sports equipment, baby items, clothing, electrical goods, garden equipment and other one-off donations.
Electrical items are PAT tested before sale, while upholstered furniture is subject to relevant safety requirements, including fire labelling where applicable.
“ Zero Waste Week is a good opportunity to think about what we throw away and whether something could have another use.
The Re-Use Shop shows what can happen when we give people another option. More than 93,000 items have already been given new life while also providing residents with access to affordable items.
We want to encourage people to think about reuse before disposal. If you have something you no longer need, consider whether someone else could use it, and if you are looking for something for your home or garden, it is worth seeing what is available at the Re-Use Shop before buying new. “
The Re-Use Shop is part of the council's wider waste and recycling infrastructure, but focuses specifically on reuse. Rather than processing an item into material for a new product, reuse keeps the existing item in circulation for longer.
Money raised through the Re-Use Shop supports the running of the site. As the site continues to grow, money will be made available for initiatives which benefit communities and the environment.
The shop is open to everyone, including people who do not live in Walsall. Customers do not need to use the Household Waste Recycling Centre to visit the shop and no membership is required.
The Re-Use Shop is open seven days a week at Middlemore Lane, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 8EE.
Opening hours are:
- Monday: 9am to 5pm
- Tuesday: 8am to 4pm
- Wednesday: 9am to 5pm
- Thursday: 10am to 6pm
- Friday: 9am to 5pm
- Saturday: 9am to 5pm
- Sunday: 10am to 4pm
Customers can only pay by card. Items are sold as seen and refunds are available within 14 days with a receipt.
Residents taking part in Zero Waste Week can start by choosing one thing they can do to reduce waste, such as donating unwanted items for reuse, repairing something instead of replacing it, buying second-hand or checking whether an item can be recycled before putting it in the bin.
