SHOP GREEN

Whether you’re an ‘Eco-Warrior’ or simply concerned for the environment, you may be interested to know the following facts:

The contribution to reuse and recycling by charity shops’ is frequently not recognised:-

• The Government’s Waste Strategy for England 2007 gives a model for the reduction and management of waste.  After waste prevention, re-use is cited, demonstrating its importance as a waste prevention measure.

• Charity shops promote re-use through the sale of quality second hand goods.

• Over 250,000 tonnes of textiles are sent on for re-use and recycling by charity shops every year.

• For 2008 – 09, it is estimated that only 5-6% of all materials donated to charity shops end up in landfill.  Less than 1% of donated textiles went to waste in 2008 – 09

• Without the opportunity which charity shops provide for large-scale reuse and recycling, these unwanted items would inevitably fid their way into the waste stream, to be treated by local authorities as household waste.

• On average, 36 tonnnes per annum of textiles alone are sold in each charity shop, or passed on for re-use elsewhere or for recycling.

• The value of textiles reused or passed for recycling by charity shops in terms of savings in landfill tax alone is £8,000,000 each year (based on the 2008 landfill tax rate of £32 per tonne)

In addition to the benefits of diverting potential waste from landfill, reuse of goods means that new goods do not need to be produced, and waste doesn’t need to be recycled.  Each of these processes would involve the production of large amounts of carbon dioxide and other emissions, therefore reuse reduces the production of climate changing gases.

So please remember to continue to support our shops – it doesn’t cost the earth, in more ways than one!

(All information courtesy of the Association of Charity Shops, April 2009)