Question 1

What is Reuse Scotland SCIO?

Accepted Answer

Reuse Scotland SCIO is a charity (SC051234) registered in Scotland, based in Dunbar and operating across East Lothian and Edinburgh.

We work in partnership with East Lothian, Edinburgh Councils, large corporate partners and thousands of households to divert reusable materials away from landfill for community benefit.

Reuse Cabins and Big Pick clothes banks are located at all of the recycling centres and the community is encouraged to put their good items inside for reuse.

Once checked and sorted against Revolve guidelines these items are then sold cheaply from one of our Reuse Shops, donated to local good causes, community groups, schools or to those in need.

We believe the Big Pick - our clothing reuse initiative - has the potential to eradicate clothing poverty in Scotland. Whilst this project is currently on hold, we are actively seeking partners to roll this initiative across Scotland.

Reuse Scotland SCIO also works with private clients such as the University of Edinburgh, commercial recyclers, Local Authorities and community organizations.  We conduct everything from small house clearances to large commercial salvage jobs.

We currently divert around 3-4 tonnes of materials from landfill each day. After costs, all profits are donated to local charitable causes which meet our charitable aims and objectives.

Question 2

What are Reuse Scotland’s aims?

Accepted Answer

Our aim is to facilitate local access to local waste; to develop and support opportunities for makers, entrepreneurs, teachers, and anyone else that wants to take advantage of quality stuff that would otherwise have been buried or burnt.

We aim to create local jobs, products and opportunities from waste streams, whilst supporting those in need by enabling access to free materials. Our ultimate aim is to develop models for reuse, which are suitable for expansion outside the local area, and to aid other communities to benefit from our learnings.

Question 3

How is Reuse Scotland funded?

Accepted Answer

Reuse Scotland SCIO receives no external funding and covers operating costs through trading income.

After operating costs, any surpluses are reinvested into expanding reuse operations across the region, job creation, and towards local donations of materials and cash to other Third Sector organisations, community groups and schools.

Question 4

How do Reuse Scotland SCIO’s activities benefit the community?

Accepted Answer

All profits are donated to local charitable organisation which meet our Aims and Objectives.

Reuse Scotland SCIO currently diverts around 1200 tonnes of reusable materials away from landfill each year. Over 30% of the materials we divert are distributed to Charities, Social Enterprises, Community Groups, Schools and to those in need for free.

These diversions save East Lothian Council over £100,000 per year in landfill taxes; money which can then be put to other uses.

Our organisation is unique and the impact of our work is widespread, enabling hundreds of small organisations to benefit from access to good reusable materials, rather than having to buy new. We are proud to say this work was recognised in 2019 by Lothian Chambers of Commerce when we won the Lothians "Community Impact Award".

Reuse Scotland’s activities are also responsible for massive carbon savings, helping ensure our Local Authority can meet the Scottish Government's climate change plans. Our textile project The Big Pick was solely responsible for reducing over 1,000,000 kg of carbon emissions over a 2 year period.

We don't just wait for organisations to approach us when they need something. We proactively look for new ways to work with difficult to reuse materials, as can be seen in our Loose Parts Play project which has benefitted over 120 organisations in East Lothian and further afield. Our "FREE Books for Schools" initiative donated over 15,000 "as new" books to East Lothian schools last year. We let the schools come and choose what they want. The savings to these schools compared to buying new was approximately £90,000.

Our Pay What You Want initiative removes all financial barriers to accessing Reuse materials. When helping individuals in need we understand how distressing it can be to ask for help (and that many of us are just a pay cheque away from needing support). Therefore we work discretely with all Local Authority and Third Sector organisations to satisfy their client's needs. This support can range from providing clothes to the homeless, working with Criminal Justice teams to support those reintegrating into society, or emergency requests from Health Visitors, Social Care teams and individuals at risk.

Our FREE section (outside the Dunbar Shop gives away approximately 300 tonnes of good stuff and is the ideal location for those struggling to make ends meet, starting out, or looking for project materials. Please follow our Facebook page for photos of available materials which can be accessed on a first come, first served basis.

We also support all Food Banks in the County with regular cash donations, and the promise to support their clients with everyday essentials.

Question 5

Which materials can/can’t Reuse Scotland SCIO accept for donation?

Accepted Answer

We take all materials in good reusable condition apart from the items listed below. If in doubt please email collections@reusescotland.org. Please note that staff at Recycling Centres are Council staff are not employees of Reuse Scotland SCIO. In order to make sure the information you receive is accurate and up to date please get in touch with us directly.

We have limited storage and cannot accept the following items:

WE CANNOT TAKE

Any broken, damaged, soiled or incomplete items
Large furniture - sofas, bookcases,display/glazed units, TV stands
Beds, headboards, mattresses or baby cots
White goods
Baby gates, walkers and baths

Please understand, if you choose to put these items in a Reuse Shed our only option is to recycle them. Moving these items causes additional work and risk to our employees. We HATE putting stuff in the skips!

If in doubt and you are local please drop your items to the Zero Waste Dunbar Shop  EH42 1DX, (next door to the Factory Shop) every day 9-5 and Sundays 10-4. A member of staff will be able to assist you identify what we can take and other organisations that may be able to accept what we can’t. For any further questions please email collections@reusescotland.org with photos of the items you aren't sure we accept, and we will contact you to confirm.

Question 6

How does Pay What You Want work?

Accepted Answer

Exactly what it says on the tin.

Reuse Scotland SCIO started Pay What You Want across specific areas (books, games, toys, household essentials) to try and keep valuable materials out of landfill, and make sure everyone could benefit from them, regardless of means. This model does not generate enough income to cover its costs and therefore we rely upon increased donations to help support this initiative. Whilst PWYW is a lifeline for many, there are some circumstances when we have to limit how much individuals take.

In store, PWYW sales are limited to 5 items per family per day on larger items, to keep things fair and discourage resellers and traders from scooping up everything. It’s all about fairness.

Question 7

What is the Big Pick?

Accepted Answer

The Big Pick CLOSED during Covid 19 and we hope to relaunch this initiative in the future.

Did you know…

Up to 90% of clothes donated to charity shops and charity textile banks are exported to other countries for sale to private market traders.

Shipping clothes thousands of miles is terrible for the planet and the impact on 
indigenous textile businesses is devastating. Just as China has stopped taking our plastic and other waste, African nations are now refusing to accept imports of second hand clothing.

Clothing poverty is a real thing that we can eliminate NOW by just doing things differently with the same resources.

The Big Pick diverted local clothes from landfill through our Big Pick textile banks, located at Recycling Centres across the County. We picked, sorted and sold quality clothes back to the local community at great value “by the kilo” sales.

Supporting the Big Pick isn’t just about getting great clothes cheap. Clothes production 
is the second largest global polluter, after oil. Reusing local clothes is literally the best 
way for us to reduce our carbon footprint; and together we can stop clothes poverty in 
our community now.

They're our clothes, lets use them locally to save our wallets, the planet, and improve the social health of our community.

Keep it local

Question 8

What is your pricing strategy?

Accepted Answer

Our prices are cheap, and often Pay What You Want (books, toys, games, household essentials etc).

Staff have some discretion on pricing, and provide free goods to groups that are the backbone of our communities: community groups, charities, social enterprises, schools and food banks.

Higher value stock: new and unwrapped, collectables, antiques etc. are valued using Ebay, barcode scanning apps or internet research. 
Our upper pricing limit is a maximum of 50% of average selling prices on Ebay and usually far less (10-30%). This means that we are the first port of call for a wide network of resellers.

Books, toys, games, and a selection of household essentials, electrics, furniture etc are sold on a Pay What You Want basis to ensure there is something for everyone, regardless of means. To our knowledge we are the only organisation in the UK that provides this benefit to the community.

Our Dunbar Reuse Hub is the main venue for Pay What You Want, FREE and community items, although BOOKS are Pay What You Want at all of our venues.

If you don’t like the price of a Fixed Price item please talk to a member of staff and if it is over priced, we will reduce it. However items which are collectable (are antiques or valuable) justify a higher price, which help support our running costs, community donations and other initiatives (like Pay What You Want) which require subsidisation. Profits from these sales are donated to local charitable groups so if you can, please be generous. Your cash will support our operations and the wider Third Sector in your locality.

Sometimes we get it wrong; we're only human and when processing thousands of items are bound to make the odd mistake. We are only too happy to review any item you feel doesn't reflect the stated pricing policy.

Question 9

What do you do with your waste?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 50% of donations we receive are from our Reuse Sheds at Recycling Centres, where members of the public put stuff they feel is too good to be put into the waste stream. As to be expected at a recycling centre, some items are only suitable for recycling and we place them in the appropriate stream.

We are Revolve accredited and have to adhere to their criteria and wider legal standards of what can be reused. Items which fail to meet these standards or that we do not accept; broken, incomplete, heavily soiled, bulky items, furnishings without fire labels etc are recycled on-site at the Recycling Centres or placed in the appropriate waste stream.

When items in our shops fail to find new homes, even after being offered for free, we have no choice but to put them into the appropriate recycling or waste stream. Like any commercial business we have to pay to do so, and hate putting good stuff into skips. Many reuse organisations have gone bust by paying to store vast quantities of materials which no-one wants.

We take pride in that we are transparent in our operations. Unlike most other charities and reuse organisations we operate in plain site; our waste is not travelling to private facilities where it receives no scrutiny. Many High St charities donate their D Code stock (D for destruction) to our reuse sheds.

You will see our drivers at the recycling centre every day, performing a variety of tasks in addition to servicing the sheds; recycling electrics that have failed PAT tests, disposing of items that don't pass checks, or recycling wood, paper, cardboard and metal into segregated recycling streams.

Items which are mixed material, or don't have a dedicated recycling option, go into landfill. We are always delighted to hear from any individuals or groups who feel they can reuse items from our waste stream. Every option to prevent items going to landfill is a good one. We hope that in the future, recycling infrastructures will improve to allow for the recycling of more diverse and mixed materials.

Question 10

How can I feedback or make a complaint?

Accepted Answer

Please contact simon@reusescotland.org with your query. We aim to respond to any issues asap.

Question 11

Do you have a returns policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All items sold at Reuse Scotland are second hand and sold as seen; please inspect items carefully before purchase, as prices reflect their condition and items may show signs of wear, be incomplete, or have visible faults. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you are entitled to a refund if an item is faulty in a way that could not reasonably have been apparent at the point of sale, or if it is not fit for purpose, including electrical items that do not function as expected. Returns must be made within 30 days of purchase and require proof of purchase (your email or SMS receipt). We do not offer refunds for change of mind or incorrect choice, nor for faults that were visible or reasonably identifiable at the time of purchase. We do not offer exchanges, refunds only. After 30 days, we may at our discretion offer a repair, replacement, or partial refund where a hidden fault becomes apparent, in line with your statutory rights. To make a return, please bring the item and your receipt to any of our shops and a member of staff will assist you.

Question 12

What hours are you open?

Accepted Answer

The Reuse Scotland Zero Waste Hub in Dunbar is open 10-5 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 
Sunday opening hours are 10.30-4.

Question 13

I'd like to reserve, or get a price for an item I've seen on Facebook/Instagram

Accepted Answer

We only sell items to customers present in our shops, where they are able to assess the condition of the second-hand items they buy.  It is not possible to reserve or pay for items over the phone/internet.

The Facebook and Instagram photos are a snapshot of what's in-store at 9am each morning. The shop staff are then at work processing stock, assisting customers, or manning the till until the shop closes, and are unable to respond to individual price or stock requests. Our prices are keen, and for many items, substantially less than most charity shops. At the Dunbar Shop, toys, games, books, and a selection of essential items are Pay What You Want so a trip is worthwhile. Check out our FAQ about pricing for more details.

Question 14

"But you get it for free."

Accepted Answer

I wish we lived in a different world; one where organisations like ours, with a strong environmental and societal mission, had no costs; no rent, salaries, insurances, vans, diesel, gas, electric, rates, water ......

But we do have costs. They account for most of our turnover. Unlike most charity shops we do not rely on volunteers to deliver our services. It is part of our mission to create good, meaningful jobs and we believe core staff should be paid.

Our prices are generally cheap, often Pay What You Want, and sometimes free. We can only sell at those prices because lots of people shop with and donate to us. Sometimes as an organisation we are trolled online by people who don't agree with our model, but we hear very positive messages from our customers. It's upsetting to hear hurtful comments online, but always gratifying to see the massive increase in donations and sales that occurs directly afterwards, as people vote with their feet and donations.

People donate for a variety of reasons: they like the prices and variety at the shop, they want positive outcomes for their unwanted stuff, or they see the community benefits of keeping this stuff local. What ever the reason, we are proud that as a community we are currently diverting around 1200 tonnes of good reusable materials away from landfill each year.

As we have grown and gotten better at the job, we have systematically increased the amount of items we give away or made Pay What You Want, to allow everyone to access them, regardless of means. Now, having achieved our goal of establishing long-term venues, all profits will be donated to local charitable organisations.

It is often assumed that as we are a charity (providing what we believe is an essential service) we rely heavily on grants. We are proud to say that all of our core costs are covered by trading income, and have been since day one. This is not the normal charity shop model, heavily reliant on grants and volunteers; it is self sustaining, and has the potential to help communities across Scotland and further afield reach their Net Zero Targets, whilst supporting the local community at the same time.

Alongside "but you get it for free", the most heard statements are "I wish we had one of these near me" and "this is my favourite shop." We know we can't please everyone, but we try really hard to make a difference. If you like what we do, please review us on google, our Facebook page, or tell the staff. A smile or thank you really makes our day.

Thank you for your support.

Question 15

What is your CCTV policy?

Accepted Answer

Introduction Reuse Scotland SCIO (SC051234) uses closed circuit television (CCTV) images to protect the Company’s property and to provide a safe and secure environment for employees and visitors to the Company’s business premises. This includes shop premises, capture sheds for reuse donations (operated in partnership with East Lothian Council), and storage facilities. This policy sets out the details of how Reuse Scotland SCIO will collect, use and store CCTV images. For more information on your privacy rights associated with the processing of your personal data collected through CCTV images please refer to the Company privacy notice and data protection policy.The Company’s CCTV facility, unless there are exceptional circumstances (see covert recording below), will only record images. Purposes of CCTVReuse Scotland SCIO has carried out a data protection impact assessment and on the basis of its findings it considers it necessary and proportionate to install and use a CCTV system. The data collected from the system will assist in: ·         Prevention or detection of crime or equivalent malpractice.  ·         Identification and prosecution of offenders.  ·         Monitoring of the security of the Company’s business premises.  ·         Ensuring that health and safety rules and Company procedures are being complied with.  ·         Identification of unauthorised actions or unsafe working practices that might result in disciplinary proceedings being instituted against employees and to assist in providing relevant evidence.  ·         Promoting productivity and efficiency.Location of camerasCameras are located at strategic points throughout the Company’s business premises, and at East Lothian Council's  (ELC) Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in the Reuse Capture Sheds (with authorisation from East Lothian Council), principally at the entrance and exit points. The Company has positioned the cameras so that they only cover communal or public areas on the Company’s business premises and they have been sited so that they provide clear images.  No camera focuses, or will focus, on toilets, shower facilities, changing rooms, staff kitchen areas, staff break rooms or private offices.  All cameras (with the exception of any that may be temporarily set up for covert recording) are also clearly visible.Appropriate signs are prominently displayed so that employees, clients, customers and other visitors are aware they are entering an area covered by CCTV.  Recording and retention of imagesImages produced by the CCTV equipment are intended to be as clear as possible so that they are effective for the purposes set out above.  Maintenance checks of the equipment are undertaken on a regular basis to ensure it is working properly and that the media is producing high quality images.Images may be recorded either in constant real-time (24 hours a day throughout the year), or only at certain times, as the needs of the business dictate.As the recording system records digital images, any CCTV images that are held on the hard drive of a PC or server are deleted and overwritten on a recycling basis and, in any event, once the hard drive has reached the end of its use, it will be erased prior to disposal.  Images that are stored on, or transferred on to, removable media such as CDs or which are stored digitally are erased or destroyed once the purpose of the recording is no longer relevant.  In normal circumstances, this will be a period of 12 months].  However, where a law enforcement agency is investigating a crime, images may need to be retained for a longer period.Access to and disclosure of imagesAccess to, and disclosure of, images recorded on CCTV is restricted.  This ensures that the rights of individuals are retained.  Images can only be disclosed in accordance with the purposes for which they were originally collected.  The images that are filmed are recorded centrally and held in a secure location.  Access to recorded images is restricted to the operators of the CCTV system and to those line managers who are authorised to view them in accordance with the purposes of the system.  Viewing of recorded images will take place in a restricted area to which other employees will not have access when viewing is occurring.  If media on which images are recorded are removed for viewing purposes, this will be documented.Disclosure of images to other third parties will only be made in accordance with the purposes for which the system is used and will be limited to:  ·         The police and other law enforcement agencies, where the images recorded could assist in the prevention or detection of a crime or the identification and prosecution of an offender or the identification of a victim or witness.  ·         Prosecution agencies, such as the Crown Prosecution Service.  ·         Relevant legal representatives.  ·         Line managers involved with Company disciplinary and performance management processes.  ·         Individuals whose images have been recorded and retained (unless disclosure would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders).The CEO of the Company (or another senior officer acting in their absence) is the only person who is permitted to authorise disclosure of images to external third parties such as law enforcement agencies.All requests for disclosure and access to images will be documented, including the date of the disclosure, to whom the images have been provided and the reasons why they are required.  If disclosure is denied, the reason will be recorded.Individuals’ access rights Under the UK’s data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),  individuals have the right on request to receive a copy of the personal data that the Company holds about them, including CCTV images if they are recognisable from the image.  If you wish to access any CCTV images relating to you, you must make a written request to the Company’s Data Protection Officer. This can be done by using this email address admin@reusescotland.org.  The Company will usually not make a charge for such a request, but we may charge a reasonable fee if you make a request which is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or is repetitive. Your request must include the date and approximate time when the images were recorded and the location of the particular CCTV camera, so that the images can be easily located and your identity can be established as the person in the images.  The Company will usually respond promptly and in any case within one month of receiving a request. However, where a request is complex or numerous the Company may extend the one month to respond by a further two months. The Company will always check the identity of the employee making the request before processing it.The Data Protection Officer will always determine whether disclosure of your images will reveal third party information, as you have no right to access CCTV images relating to other people.  In this case, the images of third parties may need to be obscured if it would otherwise involve an unfair intrusion into their privacy.If the Company is unable to comply with your request because access could prejudice the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, you will be advised accordingly.   Covert recording  The Company is aware that covert recording can only be done in exceptional circumstances for example where the Company suspects criminal activity taking place. On this basis the Company will only undertake covert monitoring if it has carried out a data protection impact assessment which has addressed the following:·           the purpose of the covert recording;  ·           the necessity and proportionality of the covert recording;  ·           the risks to the privacy rights of the individual(s) affected by the covert recording;  ·           the time parameters for conducting the covert recording  ·           the safeguards and/or security measures that need to be put in place to ensure the covert recording is conducted in accordance with the data protection laws, including the GDPR. If after undertaking the data impact assessment the Company considers there is a proportionate risk of criminal activity, or equivalent malpractice taking place or about to take place, and if informing the individuals concerned that the recording is taking place would seriously prejudice its prevention or detection, the Company will covertly record the suspected individual(s). In doing this the Company will rely on the protection of its own legitimate interests as the lawful and justifiable legal basis for carrying out the covert recording.Before the covert recording in Reuse Scotland SCIO premises commences, the Company will ensure that the CEO (or another senior officer acting in their absence) agrees with the findings of the data protection assessment and provides written authorisation to proceed with the covert recording.  Before covert recordings commence on ELC property, the CEO of Reuse Scotland SCIO (or another senior officer acting in their absence) will obtain permission from the Waste Services Manager at ELC.Covert monitoring may include both video and audio recording.Covert monitoring will only take place for a limited and reasonable amount of time consistent with the objective of assisting in the prevention and detection of particular suspected criminal activity or equivalent malpractice.  Once the specific investigation has been completed, covert monitoring will cease.Information obtained through covert monitoring will only be used for the prevention or detection of criminal activity or equivalent malpractice.  All other information collected in the course of covert monitoring will be deleted or destroyed unless it reveals information which the Company cannot reasonably be expected to ignore.Staff training                                                                    The Company will ensure that all employees handling CCTV images or recordings are trained in the operation and administration of the CCTV system and on the impact of the laws regulating data protection and privacy with regard to that system.  ImplementationThe Company’s Data Protection Officer is responsible for the implementation of and compliance with this policy and the operation of the CCTV system and they will conduct a regular review of the Company’s use and processing of CCTV images and ensure that at all times it remains compliant with the laws regulating data protection and privacy.  Any complaints or enquiries about the operation of the Company’s CCTV system should be addressed by email admin@reusescotland.org. Data ProtectionThe Company will process the personal data collected in connection with the operation of the CCTV policy in accordance with its data protection policy and any internal privacy notices in force at the relevant time. Inappropriate access or disclosure of this data will constitute a data breach and should be reported immediately to the Company’s Data Protection Officer in accordance with the Company’s data protection policy. Reported data breaches will be investigated and may lead to sanctions under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

Frequently asked questions

What is Reuse Scotland SCIO?

What are Reuse Scotland’s aims?

How is Reuse Scotland funded?

How do Reuse Scotland SCIO’s activities benefit the community?

Which materials can/can’t Reuse Scotland SCIO accept for donation?

How does Pay What You Want work?

What is the Big Pick?

What is your pricing strategy?

What do you do with your waste?

How can I feedback or make a complaint?

Do you have a returns policy?

What hours are you open?

I'd like to reserve, or get a price for an item I've seen on Facebook/Instagram

"But you get it for free."

What is your CCTV policy?