The following description of scrapstores comes from the website http://www.wastebook.org/scrapsto.htm.  It looks a really good practical way to reduce landfill waste and help schools and playgroups at the same time.  Does anyone fancy seeing if we can start one on Mole Valley?  Please contact us via the Contacts link on our home page and we will put you in touch with others who are interested.

Derek Smith

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Substantial quantities of clean commercial waste, at present consigned to landfill, can be given a second useful life. Until recently, few distribution arrangements existed.  This is changing with the development of a network of community scrapstores able to collect, store and distribute many kinds of reusable materials.  Some also collect recyclable waste or unwanted goods with residual value.  For many businesses, this can provide free disposal of a proportion of waste, at the same time offering benefits to the community, and so being a more responsible option than disposal to landfill or incineration, together with opportunities for good publicity.

Scrapstores collect from commerce and industry, sort and provide craft materials for those organising creative activities.  Playgroups, schools, other educational bodies; care homes; theatre groups; craft centres; individual artists - all have the capacity to use an enormous variety of packaging or production oddments such as wood, plastic and fabric offcuts; paper, film and card.  Scrapstores are now also regularly exchanging large amounts of materials between themselves, to meet local needs and put to use any excess materials.  This is a result of the network growing and becoming stronger.  Most schemes are operated by volunteers, sometimes with help from local councils, businesses or community trusts.  Many now have small shops selling art and craft materials, and often run workshops on creative use of scrap materials.  Over 90 different schemes now operate in Britain, with scope for many more - ideally one in every district or major town.