Resource Hubs

Learn more about other resource Hubs around the country and the world! We do not have any direct affiliations with these organizations, but want to share resources for those outside of Greater Cincinnati.

Eco-Cycle started in 1976 on a mission to create zero waste communities in Colorado. They partner with businesses, nonprofits, schools, and residents in their community to create examples of what can be accomplished with a Zero Waste mindset. They then assist anyone in the US with forming policies, systems, programs, and infrastructure to achieve a Zero Waste community.

Live Thrive - Atlanta, GA

Live Thrive organized the city of Atlanta’s first household hazardous waste collection in September 2010, diverting more than 75,000 pounds of waste from the water system and landfills. Through events organized from 2010-2014, they realized the need for a permanent drop-off facility for hard-to-recycle materials, and CHaRM was created. CHaRM is a center for hard-to-recycle materials.

Athens-Clarke County CHaRM - Athens, GA

The Athens-Clarke County Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is a one-stop drop for items that can’t be recycled at the curb or at the ACC recycling drop-off sites due to their chemical composition, hazardous components, size, shape, etc. These materials will be collected at the CHaRM for reuse, recycling and in rare cases, safe disposal. CHaRM is open to anyone, even if you do not reside in Athens.

ReUse Corridor - Huntington, WV

Still getting off the ground, the ReUse Corridor is a coalition of businesses, individual stakeholders and communities throughout central Appalachia who are building a market around reuse, upcycling and recycling. They also have a wider scope beyond hard-to-recycle materials.

ReUse Centers - Cincinnati and Lexington

ReUse Centers is a Non-Profit organization dedicated to keeping building materials out of landfills and saving customers money. They receive overstocked items, closeouts, returned merchandise, used items from local remodeling projects, and mis-measured windows that are then sold at a discounted price. The recovery of products saves the material from going into the landfill. ReUse Centers even blends their own paint from donated surplus paint. They charge a low cost-recovery fee, typically half or less of retail prices.

Envision Charlotte - Charlotte, NC

Envision Charlotte joins other American communities, corporations, institutions, local governments, non-profit organizations and philanthropies in affirming their resolve to move forward in building a sustainable future for generations to come. Envision Charlotte and its partners lead the nation and globe in creating innovative public/private plus collaborations that have already increased energy efficiency in their uptown community by 19% and saved $26 million in utilities costs. The Innovation Barn is a combination of entrepreneurial businesses, zero-waste initiatives, and a space to convene groups in order to learn more about and implement circular projects. The City of Charlotte owns the building and Envision Charlotte manages, designs, and implements the programming within.

UpCycle Creative Reuse Center - Alexandria, VA

UpCycle Creative Reuse Center is an Alexandria, Virginia based nonprofit that connects creativity and conservation by providing a resource center for reuse materials and a creative making space for the community. At UpCycle, we rethink the traditional notion of waste by collecting cast-offs from our community to serve as creative materials. They have events where community members can go to get creative and craft with recycled materials. They charge by the bag for materials if you're in need of crafting supplies. UpCycle accepts donations by appointment.

Cook County CHaRM – Cook County, IL

Cook County has partnered with South Suburban College to create the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM Center). This is a permanent recycling drop-off facility available to Cook County residents that helps divert millions of pounds of waste and other hard-to-recycle items from regional landfills and water systems. More information about materials accepted at the CHaRM Center can be found below.

SuperUse Studios - Netherlands

Superuse Studios is an international architecture collective for circular and sustainable design. They utilize existing materials to create new designs. While they take old construction and building material and use it to make something new, they also will reuse entire buildings. They will avoid tearing down an old building when it could be used for a different purpose. Superuse has locations in the Netherlands, Germany, China, and North America.

Zero Waste Center – Kamikatsu, Japan

The Zero Waste Center in Kamikatsu was designed to address the problem of compiling waste. Using a one-way system, the center is divided into areas that make recycling easier: a trash sorting and collection zone, a recycling center, an education room, and a volunteer-led shop where free, reusable items such as clothes, plates, books and electronics are donated and picked up by residents. Anything that can’t be recycled is collected and sent to an incinerator or landfill in the nearest city, Tokushima. It was Japan's first "zero waste" declaration in 2003. After 17 years, the recycling rate exceeds 80%.