Downsizing? Spring Cleaning? Building a chicken coop? Furnishing a dwelling? Hate to discard something that’s well made and serviceable? Northampton’s ReCenter may be able to help.
Spring is here and with it the April 8 opening of the ReCenter’s third season. The community swap shop located at the transfer station at 170 Glendale Road allows people to give and get things for their personal use for free. Access is gained with a city of Northampton transfer station permit or a $10 annual ReCenter pass, both of which are available through the Northampton Department of Public Works.
Last year, with the help of our donors and volunteers, the ReCenter diverted over 14 tons of material from the waste stream. Put another way, over 14 tons of household items were given to individuals and organizations for reuse.
Lessons members of the City’s ReUse Committee have learned since the ReCenter’s 2015 opening, guide decisions about which items are accepted. After asking ourselves a series of questions about items (Is it in good working condition? Safe? Well made? Desired by our clientele? Recyclable?) we end up accepting 90 percent to 95 percent of incoming goods.
We cannot take everything because we made a commitment to the city that the swap shop would not generate costs, and if an item cannot be recycled, there is a cost to take it to a landfill. We end up passing on 5 percent to 10 percent of the items people bring in to donate. Some items we can take if the donor is willing to prepay the disposal fee.
Before making a donation ask yourself, “Is it clean and in good working condition?” “Would I offer it to a good friend?”
Our donors have been wonderfully generous and understanding. They express relief and delight at the prospect of their discarded items being useful to someone. Many happily pay advance disposal fees for items that, based on our experience, are less likely to be taken.
Meanwhile, many ReCenter shoppers find useful things they might otherwise have purchased, saving money and other resources, and leaving with huge grins on their faces. We especially enjoy the creative folks who see “upcycling” potential in used stuff and enjoy the challenge of repairing and/or repurposing it. We happily encourage this fine and frugal New England tradition.
We depend on volunteers to run the ReCenter, and are always looking for more people to join our team. Do you believe in waste reduction as a tactic to reduce your carbon footprint? Do you see reuse as a valuable strategy in building a sharing economy?
Consider volunteering with us. One Saturday morning a month would be a big help. You’ll learn on the job, and experience the thrill of pairing usable household goods with folks who want them (sometimes that will be you). Send volunteer inquiries to swaite@northamptonma.gov.
The ReCenter is open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays April 8 through the end of October. We start accepting donations April 8. Shoppers may want to wait a week or two to visit as we rebuild our inventory.
If you’re bringing a lot of stuff, it’s best to come between 8 and 9:30 a.m., before we get really busy. We ask visitors to limit their stay to half an hour in order to ease parking and traffic flow.
While the ReCenter’s goal is to provide items to people for personal use, nonprofit organizations seeking materials for their clients or for resale are also welcome. We typically have household furnishings, stuff for kids and pets, arts and craft supplies, books, games, furniture, electronics, textiles, sports equipment, tools, hardware and used building materials.
We hope that you will explore the ReCenter this season! Please note that a permit is required to enter, and while only city residents may purchase transfer station permits (means-based discounts are available), the 2017 ReCenter season sticker may be purchased by just about anyone.
For details about the season sticker and other services available to residents with transfer station permits, visit www.northamptonma.gov/reduce-waste, or call 413-587-1570, ext. 4306.
Mac Everett is a ReCenter volunteer and a member of the Northampton’s ReUse Committee. Susan Waite is the waste reduction and recycling coordinator for the Northampton Department of Public Works.