The Renew Hub is a pioneering initiative designed to tackle waste, reduce consumption, and keep materials in use by repairing, refurbishing, and reselling items that would otherwise go to waste.

Commit

SUEZ was one of the first signatories of the pledge having long been committed to re-use and repair, not just because it’s part of the circular economy, but because it delivers real social value – creating jobs, supporting communities and building a more sustainable future. Having developed our own research on keeping resources in use for longer, and are thrilled to expand this thinking.

Plan

GMCA and SUEZ have been working in partnership under the Greater Manchester waste and resources contract since 2019. SUEZ already ran reuse shops on other contracts with Local Authorities, but with the scale of this contract (1 million tonnes of waste every year across 9 boroughs) and a real focus on circularity and social value, we spotted an opportunity to think bigger.

Partner

The repair elements within the Hub are done through a mix of training opportunities and partnerships with established experts in skills such as upholstery. There are apprentices in furniture restoration as well as bike repair and regular volunteers who are given the opportunity to develop their skills in sewing and upholstery under the guidance of a qualified upholsterer and seamstress.

Act

There is a container on each of the 20 household waste recycling centres for items to be donated, before they are all transported to the Renew Hub in Trafford Park for repair and upcycling before being sold to the public via physical shops on 3 household waste recycling centres and online direct from the Hub. In its first 4 years, 455,000 items were sold which would have otherwise gone to waste.

Share

The onsite visitor centre offers guided tours and practical advice, as well as a space to hold events, in an effort to inspire others looking to embed circularity within their business and local community. Sales revenue funds local charities and community projects through two guaranteed annual charitable donations aimed to inspire and support others to do the same.