SUEZ’s Greater Manchester Renew Hub has now generated over £3 million in sales and prevented almost 600,000 items from going to waste since launching in 2021.
Renew, the largest reuse project of its kind in the UK, is a partnership between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and SUEZ.
The initiative collects unwanted household items before repairing and reselling them through three Renew shops and online channels.
Over the past five years, SUEZ says the project has saved 605,998 items from being thrown away and made them available for residents to buy.
This includes more than 7,942 bicycles and 34,872 electrical items, alongside furniture, homeware, children’s toys and other household goods.
The money raised through sales is invested in local communities through the Renew Community Fund, which has awarded more than £1.3 million to 128 projects since 2021.
The fund supports organisations that encourage residents to reuse, repair, share, borrow and repair items, helping to embed circular economy principles across Greater Manchester.
Additionally, £600,000 has been donated to the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, helping to support its work tackling homelessness and delivering the A Bed Every Night programme.
Together, SUEZ says these contributions mean Renew has invested £1.9 million directly into charities, community groups and social projects across the city-region over the last five years.
Daniel Carolan, Greater Manchester Contract Director for SUEZ, said that Renew shows the ‘significant impact’ that can be achieved when reuse is embedded into the waste and resources system.
Since 2021, SUEZ says the Renew programme has created 20 ‘green jobs’, supported the recruitment of three furniture restoration apprentices, and one bicycle mechanic apprentice at the Renew Hub.
Cllr Tom Ross, GMCA lead for Recycling and Waste, called the £3m sales milestone a ‘testament to the dedicated team of repairers who give unwanted items a new lease of life’.
“The Renew project provides families with access to affordable essentials like homeware, children’s toys and bikes, but it also raises vital funds for community projects like repair cafes and school uniform sharing schemes,” Ross continued.
