Swap Shop

Swap Shop in South Hadley. Photo Credit: South Hadley DPW
A swap shop is a local place where residents can exchange used items that are in good working condition.
Typically located at a community’s transfer station or recycling drop-off center, the swap shop is based on the adage that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”
Video of Swap Shop in Wellesley
Repair Event

Repair Café in Bolton. Photo Credit: Nashoba Valley Rotary Club
A repair event brings members of the community together to help build a culture of repair, and keep items that are still useful out of the waste stream.
It is a free, hands-on opportunity for people with broken or damaged items - from bicycles to clothing, furniture to jewelry, consumer electronics to kitchen appliances - to connect with volunteer “fixers” who can repair them.
Additional Resources
Zero Waste Day

"Recycle Your Reusables" Annual Drop-Off Day in Ayer. Photo Credit: Ayer Recycling Committee
Also known as a Reuse Rodeo or donation event, a Zero Waste Day makes it easy for residents to donate gently used items to multiple non-profits at the same place and time. See below for a list of commonly accepted items.
Your community may also choose to provide a paper-shredding service and/or options for items that can be difficult to recycle, such as consumer electronics, in conjunction with a donation event.
Additional Resources
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Open PDF file, 203.2 KB, Items Commonly Accepted at Zero Waste Days (English, PDF 203.2 KB)
Library of Things or Tool Library

Library of Things at Peabody Institute Library, Danvers. Photo Credit: MassDEP
Creating a "lending library" offers residents access to tools and other useful items that they might need occasionally or for a specific purpose, but would otherwise be burdensome for them to own and store, and would likely sit idle for long periods of time.
Encouraging people to borrow rather than buy these items not only reduces waste, but also saves money. See Additional Resources below for a list of commonly available items.
Additional Resources
MassDEP Funding
The Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) encourages your town or city to implement local reuse and repair programs, and offers financial assistance in support of them, including:
Program | Assistance Available |
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Recycling Dividends Program (RDP) | Your community may earn:
|
Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants | Your community may apply for:
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You may review the relevant eligibility criteria in the documents below.