The Mount Gambier ReUse Market opened its doors for the first time on Wednesday 31 October 2018 between 10:00am and 2:00pm at 3 Eucalypt Drive. The ReUse Market is a place to find second hand goods and aims to reduce waste going to landfill by reusing and upcycling useful items. Following the recruitment of Market Coordinator Rebecca Mobbs earlier this year, the project has been full steam ahead with two additional staff members appointed to the team.
Tanis Alexander was recently appointed to the position of ReUse Market Attendant, with 15 years of experience working at the Waste Transfer Station. Tanis was instrumental in many of the changes implemented at the station including the use of cages to separate cardboard from waste and the separation of mattresses, couches and chairs to divert large items from landfill.
“The ReUse Market is my dream, it is really rewarding to see all these products not going to landfill and see the weights of the skip bins from the Waste Transfer Station going down each month,” Miss Alexander said.
Tanis’ passion for reducing landfill made her the ideal fit for the ReUse Market team.
“I am looking forward to sharing my vision and knowledge of ways in which we can reduce landfill and I really hope to see the public respond to the ReUse Market with as much passion as I have.”
Michael Satterley has also joined the City of Mount Gambier team as ReUse Market Attendant following more than four years at a similar facility in Darwin, Northern Territory Recycling Solutions (NTRS), and a stint at Veolia. Michael was motivated to apply for the position at the ReUse Market after seeing the volume of useful goods headed for landfill.
“Much like the ReUse Market, the object at NTRS was to save items going to landfill so when the opportunity came up to work in a similar facility here in Mount Gambier I thought it was a great fit for me. It is so rewarding to see items upcycled, fixed or resold for further use,” Mr Satterley said.
I love dealing with the public and I’m looking forward to the opening so I can resell items to good homes where they can be upcycled, reused and cherished for many years to come. But, most rewarding of all is knowing that we are saving the environment from as much landfill as possible.- ReUse Market Attendant Michael Satterley
“It has been a busy and challenging time at the ReUse Market as we get the facility prepared for operation. The staff have been working really hard along with the volunteers from the Independent Learning Centre and it has been great to see how they have really embraced the work and the ethos behind the Market,” ReUse Market Coordinator Rebecca Mobbs said.
Council encourages all community members with unwanted, good quality items to drop them off at the Waste Transfer Station for free for resale at the ReUse Market.
“If you have anything at home that you are not using, whether it be bikes, furniture, tools, bric-a-brac, spare parts, building materials or anything second hand in good condition please consider donating it to the ReUse Market,” Ms Mobbs said.
Media contact: Communications Officer Ashlea Watson on (08) 8721 2577 or awatson@mountgambier.sa.gov.au
Content authorised by City of Mount Gambier CEO Mark McShane, 10 Watson Terrace, Mount Gambier SA.
