Local Reuse Initiatives
Tompkins County has numerous reuse organizations, many of which can be found by consulting with the ReDirectory, or the Materials Tool. Please contact these centers directly to learn more about what they collect and the proper preparation guidelines.
Tompkins County Solid Waste also funds several reuse initiatives within the county, as follows:
An Ithaca College program run by the Resource and Environmental Management Program in collaboration with the environmental society, Take It Or Leave It helps divert materials from the waste stream at the end of the spring semester. During senior week, volunteers collect and sort reusable items left on the Ithaca College campus. Materials are either donated to local charities or stored for a sale in the fall. Proceeds of the sale help support programs of the Ithaca College Environmental Society.
A program of Historic Ithaca, Inc., Significant Elements is a nonprofit architectural salvage warehouse. Individuals and businesses can donate items to the program for reuse, and are also provided with the opportunity to purchase reused building materials from the facility, located on Center Street.
Founded in 1946, this not-for-profit organization works to stimulate public interest in the library, purchase library materials, and support other cultural and educational programs in Tompkins County. Through its two annual book sales and events, the organization helps facilitate the reuse and recycling of a half million items. The Friends of the Library also furnishes its building with reused furniture and bookshelves, promotes reuse and green purchasing, and composts food scraps.
Designed to collect reusable materials from Colleges and Universities, Dump and Run provides an outlet for items discarded by Cornell University students at the end of the spring semester. Reusable items are collected both on and off campus by volunteers, and then sorted. The annual sale takes place at the beginning of the fall semester, and proceeds are donated to local charities.
A program that provides training to county youth in computer maintenance and repair. Based on their income, eligible participants end the program with a home computer.
Reuse Center
As a part of its 20-year Solid Waste Management Plan, Tompkins County is committed to develop a local Reuse Center. Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division (TCSWMD), Significant Elements, Cooperative Extension, and Cornell University are collaborating in developing plans for such a program. The Reuse Center will be an independent 501(c) 3 and will both divert valuable materials from the waste stream and resell or otherwise make them available to the community.
The facility will include a retail center, warehouse, classrooms and workshops for educational and repair purposes, and a collection area where donated items will be received and processed for resale. A suitably sized facility, accessible location, extended hours of operation, and proactive efforts to pick up and deliver materials will ensure maximum diversion and help provide a community-friendly reuse operation. Partnerships with existing programs already active in reuse will increase waste diversion, maximize outreach, support local non-profit organizations, and both strengthen and avoid redundancy of services in the community.
