09 August 2006
People in Jersey can now donate unwanted goods on the internet for free thanks to the launch of a Jersey Freecycle™ group. Almost anything can be posted online. Whether it’s a wardrobe, a computer or a piano, you simply send an email offering it to members of your local Freecycle group.
After hearing about how successful the website was in the UK, Shirley Neely from the Tortoise Sanctuary decided to set up a group in Jersey. She says: "The website is such a great idea. In the UK, so many people exchange good quality items every day which in turn stops them from throwing stuff out. I just wanted to provide people in Jersey with the opportunity to do the same."
The launch has been welcomed by TTS. Recycling Officer, John Rive says "This is the best kind of recycling because it prevents unwanted goods from entering the waste stream and puts them to good use. It’s also an excellent initiative and a great example of putting policies set out in Jersey’s Waste Strategy into action."
Freecycle is a non-profit website. The Jersey group currently has 20 members but needs about 500 to make it viable. To join, log on to www.freecycle.org and go to the Jersey branch, or via the link from the Transport and Technical Services Department section of the www.gov.je website.