Highlights
- Free Tech Disposal Service for businesses across the UK
- Tech Donation Boxes for members of the public, in accessible locations throughout Edinburgh
- Repair and reuse of electronics - selling repaired and refurbished goods at affordable prices, and donating refurbished devices to vulnerable groups living in digital poverty
- Running workshops for free, or at low cost, to make repair and reuse skills accessible
- Supporting the Green Recovery by delivering a training programme to provide a future skilled workforce, and offering training opportunities to young people with multiple barriers to employment
The Edinburgh Remakery is an innovative environmental social enterprise with a mission to reduce waste through the power of repair and reuse. Based on the principles of the Circular Economy, their work helps create the critical cultural shift needed in Scotland, where what is perceived as “waste” is recognised as a valuable resource.
The Edinburgh Remakery repair and reuse electronics and other items, keeping valuable resources and materials out of landfill, and preventing pollution. Donations of items from businesses and the public directly reduce waste and reduce carbon emissions, while training and skills development activities indirectly reduce waste and carbon emissions by allowing individuals to maintain and continue to use items that might otherwise have been discarded.
The Edinburgh Remakery’s Tech Refurbishment Department works to repair and refurbish donated electronics so that these can be reused and their useful life extended. What can’t be reused or refurbished isn’t wasted, as the valuable materials inside electronic devices, such as precious metals, can be extracted, and reused or sold - so as little as possible goes to waste.
Their Tech Disposal Service provides an easy way for businesses and individuals to donate equipment and, in doing so, helps to make the principles of the circular economy more mainstream and accessible to customers. This contributes to a culture shift that provides environmental, social and economic benefits through sustainable working and social models.
Goods that have been prepared for reuse are then sold on through their online shop, or passed on for free to those in need of electronic devices to access essential digital support services - thus reducing digital poverty and tackling social isolation for many disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
Workshops teaching repair and reuse skills are delivered online and in-person, reach their immediate Edinburgh audience whilst enabling those outside of Edinburgh to join online. They also deliver Team Building workshops for organisations, helping them to embed sustainable practices and low waste living skills within their workplaces.
The Edinburgh Remakery is developing its workforce, providing opportunities through the Kickstarter and No-one Left Behind schemes to support young people and those with barriers to employment.
During the 12 months up to July 2021, they diverted over 7 tonnes of electronic waste from landfill, saving over 3,250 tonnes of CO2e in the process. 88 businesses donated 4,417 devices during this period. A total of 873 refurbished items were sold, and 241 free devices were donated to people in need.