'It's in our DNA' - impact of Cornwall's reuse shops hailed
BBC"I think it's in our DNA that we don't like throwing things away that we could reuse."
Loic Rich, cabinet member for the environment and climate change, believes that is one of the reasons why Cornwall Council's reuse shops have had "huge" benefits for the environment.
Seven shops are open at recycling centres, including in Truro, Falmouth and Launceston, and the authority said it hoped more could follow in the future.
They accept unwanted goods including household items, furniture and bikes and then sell them at an affordable price.
Nienke Hartog, who runs an upcycling business in Newquay, said she was surprised by what people threw away.
"My partner used to have a rubbish clearance company and he used to bring home some complete treasures," she said.
"I thought, 'I can't believe people want to throw this out'.
"A lot of people can't see once you've sanded something what actually lies underneath and what a treasure you can make out of something that is a piece of trash to them."
The council said it was saving energy as an estimated 10 to 15 lorry loads of goods had been prevented from going to landfill.
"People are really pleased they can take things they don't need to the tip and actually know that it's going to go to a good home somewhere, so they know their thing's not been wasted," Rich explained.
He said about 10 or 15 lorry loads of goods had been prevented from being sent to the incinerator over the past 18 months.
"You would have seen really good quality items being thrown away," he added.
"It is incredible what some people decide they don't need and they chuck it.
"It was terrible really to see those things being wasted."
Hartog said there was increasing interest in upcycling and had set up workshops so people could learn how to do it themselves.
"It's very popular because the price of things just keeps going up," she explained.
"If you've got something that you're not really happy with anymore you could make it into something that that's completely different.
"Once you start doing this, you start seeing everything through completely different eyes and you'll see lots of things in pieces of rubbish."
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