Member Article

Salix Homes diverts 180 tonnes of furniture away from landfill

A furniture recycling scheme has helped divert 180 tonnes of furniture away from landfill sites and supported 400 people living in poverty.

This week is Recycle Week (September 20-26) and Salford-based housing association Salix Homes is raising awareness of its successful pre-loved furniture recycling scheme, which has made a huge impact on the lives of hundreds of its tenants.

Launched in 2019, the eco-friendly scheme works by recycling unwanted furniture, household items and white goods and then giving it away for free to tenants who need it most.

The furniture is either donated by tenants or has been left behind when a resident moves out of their home. If it’s good quality and fit for use, it’s collected by the Salix Homes environmental team – saving it from being dumped in landfill sites.

Maria Lester, environmental services manager at Salix Homes, said: “People who are struggling can come down to our warehouse and pick what they need to help make their house into a home. This includes people that have fallen on hard times, refugees and women escaping domestic violence.

“To date we’ve seen 1,800 items come through our warehouse doors, enabling people with nothing to start to build a safe and happy home environment.”

Recycle Week is a national campaign to encourage people to recycle more and Salix Homes is calling for more residents to donate and recycle their unwanted furniture to help others.

Maria added: “We’re always on the lookout for new items to add to our warehouse, so this Recycle Week, we’re urging people to do their bit to help the environment. If you’ve got any household items that you no longer want, you may be able to donate it to our recycling scheme. You’ll not only be helping the planet, but also people who may be struggling.”

The initiative is currently only open to Salix Homes’ tenants, but thanks to its success, the housing association is hoping to expand it across Salford and open it up to the wider community.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hayley Collins .