Nanaimo’s ReStore revamped to help divert building materials from landfill
Source: Chek News
Author: Kendall Hanson
Customers at Nanaimo’s ReStore may notice some changes after Habitat for Humanity, along with some partners, revamped the store, which sells donated building supplies.
The goal is to create more capacity to recycle building materials and keep them out of the landfill.
A couple of workers are offloading a truck of donations at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.
They now have more space for donated building supplies after a revamp of the store in July.
“We’re super excited about the changes that have happened, so the first thing they’re going to notice is a completely revamped layout in the store. It was completely redesigned with new signage, a more efficient layout and mostly more products,” said Gil Yaron, Light House’s managing director of circular innovation.
New shelving and an improved layout mean more space. Vancouver-based non-profit Light House, along with the Regional District of Nanaimo has partnered on the initiative with Habitat for Humanity to help reduce the amount of building materials going to the landfill.
It’s estimated that about a third of the materials arriving at Nanaimo’s landfill come from housing demolitions or renovations. Some of it is sorted and reused.
“For instance, clean wood would get ground down and used as land cover or as hog fuel. They get devalued, what we call downcycled, rather than preserving them in their original form and reusing them and retaining their value, which is really what the building material exchange is all about,” said Yaron.
That’s where the Building Material Exchange (BMEx Marketplace) comes in. Funded by the regional district, it’s a free online platform where contractors, trades, and suppliers can list or source quality salvaged and surplus building materials from across southern Vancouver Island.
One regional district director says it’s an important move considering the John Hart landfill is projected to be full in 20 years.
“That’s going to be a huge chunk of money to replace that landfill, like in the hundreds of millions of dollars, so the longer we can maintain the life of the landfill, the more we can divert waste, the better off we are,” said Paul Manly, who is an RDN director on behalf of the City of Nanaimo.
“It’s a win-win for developers as well. You can get a tax credit for bringing stuff here and donating it gets resold to do-it-yourselfers, and then the funds help Habitat for Humanity to build new homes.”
Light House also has programs to analyze and sell products that aren’t moving quickly to help stores be more profitable.
Nanaimo’s ReStore also has trucks that can pick up donated goods.
