Reverse Garbage Queensland

Specialties

We collect clean industrial discards and offcuts from over 300 warehouses, manufacturers and factories around Brisbane to sell to the general public for creative reuse in education, art and craft and DIY.

We have a retail store in Woolloongabba where we bring Timber, Fabric, Textiles, Plastics, Vinyl, Containers, Foam, Rubber, Paper, Cardboard, Metal, Hardware, outdated stock, second hand items and curios all together under the one roof. You can buy as little or as much as you need!

We run workshops for adults, preschoolers, primary and secondary school students to inspire them to realise the potential of «waste» in using industrial discards and understand how this is as a sustainable resource.

We offer a mail order service where we send themed packages of materials suitable for craft and creative activities for all ages and a variety of group sizes throughout Queensland and beyond.

Reverse Garbage is Brisbane’s only reuse centre where we promote less energy and resources being consumed by «reusing» materials as opposed to «recycling» where resources are converted into new products using energy intensive processes. We aim to reduce the consumption of natural resources by encouraging the reuse of already manufactured or processed resources.

History

Established in 1998.

Reverse Garbage was set up to support Friends of the Earth Brisbane, to provide meaningful and ecologically sustainable employment and to be an example of a truly sustainable enterprise.

Reverse Garbage was set up and continues to be run as a not for profit organisation and as a worker run co-​operative. It is governed by a Board of Directors that are also workers and employs consensus decision making in it’s governance.

The co-​operative was originally housed in Montague Road, West End. Reverse Garbage relocated to 20 Burke Street, Woolloongabba in early 2011 at the end of their lease to allow for expansion. Current plans include fundraising to buy the Burke Street building to secure independence and financial stability for both organisations.