ReUse Centers and Material Exchanges

Reuse Centers: means a place, such as a store or warehouse, where used items can be purchased. Thrift and consignment stores that sell used clothing and household goods are examples of reuse centers. There are also reuse centers that specialize in specific genres of goods, like art supplies, building materials and electronics.

Material Exchanges: usually means a referral or listing service that helps connect those with unwanted materials to those looking for the same type of material. Usually, exchanges serve as a contact point or broker and do not physically handle materials. Online material exchanges include eBay, Craigslist, and Freecycle.

It’s better to reduce waste before it is generated, reuse a resource or product to lengthen its life and when the first two are not possible, recycle or compost. An additional ‘R’ often overlooked is ‘Repair’. Consider buying goods that will have a long life; and avoiding single-use items. Well made products usually can be fixed and repaired. There are professionals and artisans that will repair a number of goods including cars, appliances, shoes, leather goods, jewelry, lamps, books, and clothing. Look for them in the yellow pages or online.

ReUse Centers / Surplus Programs for the Arts

ReUse Centers - Building Materials in the Northeast

Material Exchanges

Some of these exchanges limit their services to specific geographic areas or user groups.

Furniture and Household Goods

Thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army accept donations of good usable furniture and household items and sell these goods at low cost. Books can also be donated to Better World Books.

Business Equipment

Business equipment, furniture and supplies are also often accepted by local thrift stores and consignment shops, including Goodwill and Salvation Army.

Sports Equipment

Reuse stores are not just for non-profit organizations. Stores selling/buying/trading used sports equipment are on the rise, including Play it Again Sports found throughout the country including stores in CT.

Electronics (Computers, TV's, etc.)

If you have a computer that is still in good working order, you may be able to donate it to a school, or to an organization that distributes computers to schools. Some organizations provide technology not only to schools but will also provide equipment to non-profits and/or public agencies that provide services to the needy, the unemployed or the disabled.

Each organization that promotes electronics reuse has very specific requirements regarding the equipment that they accept, so call first to find out if your used equipment is a good fit with that organization’s needs. If your computer is an older model that may not meet the needs of today’s school system, but still works well, you may want to consider donating it to a local nursery school where speed and issues such as internet access are not an important consideration. You may also want to contact other local charitable organizations.

Don’t trash your e-waste! Learn more about electronic waste to ensure that you are disposing of your electronic devices properly.

Clothing

Thrift stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill accept donations of clothing and sell goods at low cost. In Connecticut, we have a thrift stores and consignment shops in many towns that are run by local organizations and private individuals.

Municipal Swap Shops

Many communities with solid waste or recycling transfer stations have Swap Shops, a barn, shed or other building where residents may take or leave useable household items. Contact your local recycling coordinator to learn if you have a Swap Shop in your community. If not, encourage them to do so. It can become a hub for community activity! Swap Shops should be in a dedicated area, shed or building at the Transfer Station.

Disclaimer: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) maintains the content on this web page to enhance public access to information and facilitate understanding of waste reduction, reuse and recycling. The DEEP is not recommending these resources over any others and recognizes these represent only a partial listing of resources on this subject.

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

Content Last Updated April 9, 2026