DEP: Material Exchanges

ReUse Centers and Material Exchanges

"Waste is a misplaced resource."

~ Vermont Business Materials Exchange

GLOSSARY

ReUse Centers – a place, such as a store or warehouse, where used items can be purchased. Thrift and consignment stores that sell used clothing and household goods are examples of reuse centers. There are also reuse centers that specialize in specific genres of goods, like art supplies, building materials and electronics.

Material Exchanges – usually this is a referral or listing service that helps connect those with unwanted materials to those looking for the same type of material. Usually, exchanges serve as a contact point or broker and do not physically handle materials. Some examples of regional on-line material exchanges include Freecycle, Craigslist, and eBay.

It’s better to reduce waste before it is generated, reuse a resource or product to lengthen its life and when the first two are not possible, recycle or compost. An additional ‘R’ often overlooked is ‘Repair’.

Consider buying goods that will have a long life; avoiding one-use items. Well made products usually can be fixed and repaired. There are professionals and artisans that will repair a number of goods including cars, appliances, shoes, leather goods, jewelry, lamps, books, and clothing. Look for them in the yellow pages or an on-line search engine.

Donating and buying reusable goods not only helps protect the environment, it also helps your local economy.

Arts & Crafts

Building Materials

(in the Northeast)

Business Equipment Clothing

Electronics

(Computers, TV's etc.)
Furniture & Household Goods

Municipal Swap Shops Sports Equipment

Material Exchanges
Additional Resources

ReUse Centers / Surplus Programs for the Arts

Materials for the Arts
33-00 Northern Blvd., 3rd floor
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: (718) 729-3001
Email: info@mfta.org
Website: www.mfta.org

Recycling for Rhode Island Education
PO Box 6264
Spooner Street at 95 Hathaway Ctr, Suite 3
Providence, RI 02940
Phone: (401) 781-1521

Website: www.rrie.org

Stuff Central (Hudson Valley Materials Exchange)
c/o New Paltz Recycling Center
Clearwater Road
New Paltz, NY
Phone: (845) 567-1445
Email: hvme@optline.net
www.hvmaterialsexchange.com

Materials Resource Center
2111D Lakeland Avenue
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
Phone: (631) 580-7290
Email: questions@materialsresourcecenter.org www.materialsresourcecenter.org

Scroungers’ Center for Reusable Art Parts (SCRAP)
834 Toland Street
San Francisco, CA 94124
Phone: (415) 647-1746
Email: scrap@scrap-sf.org
www.scrap-sf.org

The Restore (Surplus Materials for Many Reuses)
P.O. Box 885
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 299-1930
Email: info@therestore.org
www.therestore.org

ReUse Centers - Building Materials in the Northeast

The ReCONNstruction Center
230 South Street
New Britain, CT 06051
Phone: (860) 597-3390
Email:
info@reconnstructioncenter.org
www.reconnstructioncenter.org
ReStore – Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County
1785 Stratford Ave.
Stratford, CT 06615
Phone: (203) 383-4358
Email: restore@habitatcfc.org
www.bridgeporthabitat.org

ReStore – Habitat for Humanity of Southeastern CT
400 New London Road
Salem, CT 06420
Phone: (860) 892-9553
Email: restore@habitatsect.org
www.habitatsect.org
ReStore – Habitat for Humanity
of Northeast CT
455 Providence Road (Route 6)
Brooklyn, CT 06234
Phone: (860) 774-0505
www.habitatnortheastct.org

Urbanminers, LLC
39 Oregon Avenue
Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: (203) 287-0852
Email: urbanminers@urbanminers.com
www.urbanminers.com
ReStore – Housatonic Habitat for Humanity
90 Shelter Rock Road
Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: (203) 744-1340
Email: restore@danburyhabitat.org
www.danburyhabitat.org

Green Demolitions
19 Willard Road
Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: (203) 354-7355
E-mail: norwalk@greendemolitions.com
www.greendemolitions.com

ReStore Home Improvement Center
250 Albany Street, Rear
Springfield, MA 01105
Phone: (413) 788-6900
Email: restore@cetonline.org
www.restoreonline.org

ReNew Building Materials & Salvage, Inc.
Putney Road (Opposite Shell)
16 Town Crier Drive #2 Brattleboro VT 05301-8669
Phone: (802) 246-2400
www.renewsalvage.org

Boston Building Material Resource Center
100 Terrace Street
Roxbury, MA 02120
Phone: (617) 442-8917
www.bostonbmrc.org

Build it Green! NYC
3-17 26th Ave.
Astoria, NY 11102
Phone: (718) 777-0132
www.bignyc.org
Boston ReStore, Inc.
10 Harvard Street; PO Box 240881
Dorchester, MA 02124
Phone: (617) 288-8400
Email: bperkins@bostonrestore.org
www.bostonrestore.org

The Loading Dock, Inc.
2 North Kresson Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: (410) 558-3625
www.loadingdock.org

ReStore – Habitat for Humanity of Westchester NY
525a Main Street
New Rochelle, NY 10801
Phone: (914) 636-8335

Furniture and Household Goods

Thrift stores like Goodwill Industries and Salvation Army accept donations of good usable furniture and household items and sell these goods at low cost. Books can also be donated to Got Books.

In Connecticut, we have a thrift stores and consignment shops in many towns that are run by local organizations and private individuals. Try the yellow pages, on-line or in your telephone book under "thrift" and "consignment".

Some on-line sources to give or receive used materials for free or low-cost include yahoo groups like Freecycle and ReUseIt Network (RIN) or on-line classifieds for free stuff or for selling goods include Craigslist and eBay.

Business Equipment

Business equipment, furniture and supplies are also often accepted by local thrift stores and consignment shops, including Goodwill Industries and Salvation Army. Some on-line sources to give or receive used materials for free or low-cost include yahoo groups like Freecycle and ReUseIt Network (RIN) or on-line classifieds for free stuff or for selling goods include Craigslist and eBay.

Sports Equipment

Reuse stores are not just for non-profit organizations. Stores selling/buying/trading used sports equipment are on the rise, including Play it Again Sports found throughout the country including stores in CT. Another option is Replay Sports in Groton, CT.

Electronics (Computers, TV's, etc.)

If you have a computer that is still in good working order, you may be able to donate it to a school, or to an organization that distributes computers to schools. Some organizations provide technology not only to schools, but will also provide equipment to non-profits and/or public agencies that provide services to the needy, the unemployed or the disabled.

Each organization that promotes electronics reuse has very specific requirements regarding the equipment that they accept, so call first to find out if your used equipment is a good fit with that organization’s needs. If your computer is an older model that may not meet the needs of today’s school system, but still works well, you may want to consider donating it to a local nursery school where speed and issues such as internet access are not an important consideration.

For national computer reuse organizations visit National Cristina Foundation or SHARE the Technology.

Don’t trash your e-waste! Learn more about electronic waste to ensure that you are disposing of your electronic devices properly.

Clothing

Thrift stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries accept donations of good usable clothing and sell goods at low cost. In Connecticut, we have a thrift stores and consignment shops in many towns that are run by local organizations and private individuals. Try the yellow pages, on-line or in your telephone book under "thrift" and "consignment".

Municipal Swap Shops

Many communities with solid waste or recycling transfer stations have Swap Shops, a barn, shed or other building where residents may take or leave useable household items. Contact your local recycling coordinator to learn if you have a Swap Shop in your community. If not, encourage them to do so. It can become a hub for community activity! Swap Shops should be in a dedicated area, shed or building at the Transfer Station. Learn more by reading CET’s Swap Depot Starter Kit.

Material Exchanges

Some of these exchanges limit their services to specific geographic areas. Additional listings can be found through U.S. EPA and the Northeast Recycling Council material exchange webpages.

Vermont Business Material Exchange (VBMX)
1580 Barber Pond Road
Pownal, VT 05261
Phone: (800) 895-1930
Email: ppress@sover.net
www.vbmex.net

New York Wa$teMatch
c/o MEDP
City College of New York
Phone: 212-650-5832
Email: info@wastematch.org
www.wastematch.org

ResourceXchange
RI Resource Recovery Corporation
Phone: (401) 942-1430
Email: info@rirrc
www.resourcexchange.org

Massachusetts Materials Exchange
Center for Ecological Technology
Phone: (413) 586-7350
Email: info@materialsexchange.org
www.materialsexchange.org

Maine Housing & Building Materials Exchange (BME)
102 Lisbon Street
Lisbon, ME 04250
Phone: (207) 636-7670
Email: mhbme45@yahoo.com
www.mainebme.org/public

Western/Central New York Materials Exchange
GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee
Batavia, NY
Phone: (800) 836-1154
www.recycle.net/exch

Additional Resources

NERC: Materials Exchanges in the Northeast – includes an extensive list of organizations and groups that handle a wide range of materials including food, art supplies, medical equipment and building materials.

CT DEP: A Guide to Local Building Material Reuse Centers pdf color brochure

EPA: Reuse in New England – Materials Exchanges

SWIX: Electronic Recycling Exchange

NERC: Materials Exchange Marketing Plan

NERC: State Surplus Property Fact Sheets & Contact Information

CET: How to start a Swap Shop in your town

BMRA: Building Materials Reuse Association

EPA: Resource Guide for Donation Opportunities

NERC: Environmental Benefits Calculator: Quantifying the Benefits of Waste Reduction and Recycling

NY Wa$teMatch: Building Materials Reuse Calculator

IRN: The Institution Recycling Network

EPA: Materials and Waste Exchanges

EPA: Surplus Inventory for Arts & Education

Recycler’s World: Information and Materials Exchange Directory

ReDO: Reuse Development Organization

East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse

Reuse Alliance

Disclaimer: The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) maintains the content on this web page to enhance public access to information and facilitate understanding of waste reduction, reuse and recycling. The CT DEP is not recommending these resources over any others and recognizes these represent only a partial listing of resources on this subject.

Content Last Updated on January 20, 2010