Web Service Offers Localized Building Materials Exchanges

The Energy Outreach Center, a nonprofit organization based in Washington State, has established an Internet-based building materials exchange system that is available for use by local governments anywhere. The Reusable Building Materials Exchange operates as a bulletin board where users can post materials they have available or are seeking. Anyone wishing to respond to a posting can do so by contacting the person directly.

Local government offices or solid waste management jurisdictions can subscribe to the service for a sliding scale fee ranging from $1,500 to $2,100 per year, depending on population. As subscribers, they receive their own waste exchange bulletin board, along with marketing materials to help them notify potential users about the service. There are currently four counties in western Washington using the system, with Thurston County as the most active. A quick perusal of listings reveals a pretty even balance between available and sought materials, across a wide range of categories. Among the available materials is used pressure-treated wood—since reuse may be the only environmentally viable way to handle this material, this listing shows the value of such exchanges.