Do you love rummaging for a bargain? You need to plan a visit to The Steelhouse, Torfaen’s reuse shop.
All the items on sale have been rescued from ending up in landfill after being dropped off at the nearby tip- the Civic Amenity Site in New Inn.
The shop is already proving a big hit with residents since it reopened in December. During January more than 3,100 household items were sold.
I dropped in for a look around and a chat with Rob Pearce from Wastesavers, who run the shop in partnership with FCC Environment and Torfaen Council. Watch this Facebook Live video to see what’s on offer.
Video- Take a look around The Steelhouse
You can also drop off items before you go in to the civic amenity site. The shop is open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm- so great if you’re having a clear out on the weekend.
During my visit a couple walked in to drop off a garden water feature. It was the sort of object that would normally go to landfill but shop staff gladly accepted it.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Torfaen Council’s Executive member for the Environment, officially opened The Steelhouse on Valentine’s Day, declaring it a “huge success with residents”.
“This is not only a great place to grab a bargain, but it’s also good for the planet, helping us meet our recycling and reuse targets and giving residents a chance to see their unwanted items go to a new home” she continued.
The shop is also helping the council reach the Welsh Government’s 2024 target of a 70% recycling rate. The shop has already diverted more than five tonnes of household materials since it reopened in December.
Rob Pearce, shop manager, is confident that the shop will grow as more people hear about it.
“We’re already getting regulars and meeting a need that is clearly out there,” he explained. “Not everybody can afford £20 for a new kettle, but most people can afford £3.
“Every parent with small children knows how much toys cost, but we’ve got hundreds here at a fraction of the cost and just waiting for a new owner.”
FCC Environment’s Operations Director Steve Longdon said: “We work hard to recycle as much of the waste that comes onto our recycling sites as possible, but have long been aware that many of the items that are dropped off could still have a useful life ahead of them.
“We are pleased to see so many items finding a new home and that The Steelhouse and staff at the skips are managing to save so much “treasure from the trash!”