After over a year of closure due to COVID, this Fall WCC’s Surplus Store reopened on a new platform and with a new look. In its first month of sales, the store enabled a wide range of items to be reused instead of being recycled or landfilled.
Reuse of items is the preferred disposal option for discarded items as noted by the EPA.
In its first month of operation, 19 sales comprised of 56 individual items raised $7,000 and diverted over 2 tons of material from recycling or landfill.
Items included electronics, furniture, and technical equipment. Customers were predominantly from SE Michigan (with many WCC employees securing great deals); however, some were willing to travel from as far as Utah for an item of particular need.
The store is managed by the Campus Services Department which has many years of experience with redistribution and reuse. If you haven’t visited the store yet, you can visit the Current Auctions for Washtenaw Community College. If you have any questions about how to get involved, please contact Kelly Milligan, Interim Warehouse Manager, at [email protected].
Becky Andrews, WCC’s Resource Recovery Manager said, “It’s great to have our reuse store up and running again. WCC has always had a strong sustainability program with an invested faculty and staff. The Surplus Store is a way for everyone to be involved and to see our programs in action. Reuse is always preferred before recycling, and this is a great service for both the sustainability effort and the local community.”
Questions about Property Disposition are welcomed at [email protected].