Furniture Re-Use Project

Local Authorities • Perth and Kinross

Perth and Kinross Council aims to divert surplus office/school furniture away from landfill by recycling where possible or offering to other agencies to re-use, recycle, salvage, or upcycle.

  • Before: The project aims to minimise or negate furniture going to landfill
  • After: Perth and Kinross Council salvage surplus office furniture

Our story

The initiative that Perth and Kinross Council runs aims to divert surplus office/school furniture away from landfill by recycling where possible or offering to other agencies to re-use, recycle, salvage, or upcycle.

By maintaining a stock of furniture the initiative also gives the opportunity to check new furniture requests against available 'second hand' stock. Thus masking maximum use of surplus furniture and minimising the need to purchase new.

Storage is undertaken by a Council term contractor rather than using Council floorspace. The supplier has good links to the wider public and private sector therefore is ideally positioned to seek outlets for true surplus items.

The project has achieved savings in spend on furniture as well as diverting potential waste away from landfill.

Our advice

During the pandemic the project allowed the Council to provide a call-off service whereby staff working from home could request a cut down office desk (from stock) which would fit more easily into a domestic setting and thus allow for proper DSE home-working. Otherwise the option would have been costly and protracted ordering of new stock. The partner supplier was able to provide an on-demand delivery service. A great example of re-use and collaborative working whilst really looking after staff interests.

Our metrics

We can determine what stock is being re-used and also the amount of money spent on new furniture.

Feeling inspired? Discover more about this story...

Action Area

Circular Economy

Positive Impacts

Less Waste

Response to climate crisis

Adaptation

Reach

Area

Organisation

Local Authorities, 250 to 10,000 people

Shared by

Perth & Kinross Council

Updated Feb, 2024

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