New tip scheme turning trash into cash

The pre-loved items would have had no further use.

But staff at HW Martin Waste Ltd, which runs the site, have started taking “too good to tip” items out of the waste stream.

They instead go on sale in the centre’s reuse shop – and the company has pledged to donate a minimum of £500 per year from the sales of the items to the Mayor of Dudley’s chosen charities.

The Mayor, Councillor David Stanley, visited the site today to collect the first cheque for £500 and find out more about the project.

The Mayor of Dudley, Cllr David Stanley, receives a cheque for £500 from Wayne Harrold, of HW Martin Waste Ltd

The cash will go to the mayor’s two chosen charities – Macmillan Cancer Support and The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and Black Country.

Councillor David Stanley, the Mayor of Dudley, said:

It is a fantastic scheme and I’m very grateful for the money that it has already generated for my charities.

It rescues items that have absolutely nothing wrong with them. They can be reused, and they are being sold for prices to make them affordable for people on lower incomes.

It’s a real win win all round, and proves the old adage that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

All firms given work by Dudley Council must now demonstrate how they can add “social value” to the borough before deals are sealed.

The idea to donate cash from sales to charity was put forward by HW Martin Waste prior to signing the contract, and the firm has been managing the waste site since the start of April.

Last month another council contractor, CEF Electrical Factors, assisted with a litter clean-up focusing on plastics on the Mill Race Lane estate in Stourbridge.