Retrader re-launched
Popular online materials exchange, retrader.org.uk, has been recently re-launched to cope with an ever growing number of users. Just one year after its launch a more high tech website means more organisations will be able to pass their unwanted items to others to reuse. Retrader.org.uk enables businesses to pass on materials they no longer need and get pre-used materials from other businesses.
Since Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) introduced the online facility last year (26th February 2010) over 26 tonnes of waste has been saved from landfill and organisations have saved almost £100,000 by using old stuff rather than buying new.
Gavin Hull is the county council’s materials reuse officer and is responsible for retrader.org.uk. He says: “We’re really pleased that Retrader has been so well received by Oxfordshire businesses. The popularity of this service has meant we’ve upgraded the site to enable organisations to interact more easily between themselves, allowing them to set up regular exchanges. Individuals can even form groups with similar businesses to share resources; a great way to save money in these challenging times.”
Retrader isn’t solely dedicated to businesses: it has also benefitted community groups, public organisations and even charities that have made the most of the facility. Abingdon based charity Against Breast Cancer recently took delivery of a host of free equipment for a new office extension.
Kate Reed, fundraising office manager at Against Breast Cancer was responsible for the office refurbishment. She enthuses about the experience: “Having just priced up new desks and a cabinet at a cost of over £1600, we knew we needed to find a more cost effective option. We soon discovered that through Retrader we could get everything from desks to lamps for free from a local service that has closed down: we were delighted. As a charity we already recycle mobile phones, inkjet cartridges and even bras to raise funds for our vital work, so using recycled equipment from Retrader for our own office made complete sense to us as well providing a huge saving for the charity and reducing landfill waste!”
