SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The East Central Solid Waste Commission celebrated the grand opening of its new Re-Use Store last week, unveiling a dedicated recycling and reuse destination located between North Branch and Cambridge. The facility is designed to give discarded household items a second life, diverting usable materials away from the landfill and back into the community.

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Open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Re-Use Store features salvaged building materials and distinctive household items. Products sold at the store are recovered from materials disposed of throughout the commission’s service area, ensuring valuable goods are reclaimed instead of discarded.

The commission represents five counties, including Chisago County, and oversees operations at the Mora landfill. Regional waste flows through transfer stations where haulers consolidate loads. A state-funded reclaiming program operates at one transfer station and is staffed by workers hired and supervised by Better Futures MN.

The funding for the program comes from the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, along with distributions from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Chisago County officials say SCORE funds offset costs.