ReUse Program Self-Help Guide

Since we're often in the warehouse and not close to our phone, the best way to reach us is by email at reuse@umn.edu. If you want to leave a voicemail, call 612-626-9152 and we will return your call. Email is by far the fastest way to get a response.

We post pictures of newly arrived materials every Wednesday night and every Friday night. For a sampling of what we will have available please follow us on Facebook. Did you see something on Facebook that you can't live without? The only way to guarantee the right to buy something is to be the first person in line before we open for a public sale. On occasion we have had people show up several hours before opening to have first right to purchase an item. We cannot hold items by Facebook request, email request or voicemail request.

Due to the pandemic we are open by appointment only. Book a time here:

Due to the pandemic we are open by appointment only. Book a time here:

The warehouse is located at: 883 29th Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55414. We allow free parking in the University of Minnesota Reuse Program loading dock area on Thursdays from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m and Saturdays from 12pm - 4pm. Additionally, free street parking is usually available just to the south of the warehouse, on Weeks Avenue (but be careful about parking too close to driveways — you might get a ticket!). You will be ticketed if you park in a contracted parking location or if you do not pay at a metered spot. There is no free parking in the loading dock area outside of public sale times. University faculty and staff visiting the ReUse warehouse must use the metered spots on non public sale days.

From the North: Take 35W South to Hwy 280 Take the Como Avenue Exit Go West on Como Avenue Turn left on 29th Avenue SE From the East: Take 94 West to Hwy 280 Take the Como Avenue Exit Go West on Como Avenue Turn left on 29th Avenue SE From the South: Take 35W North to Hwy 280 Take the Como Avenue Exit Go West on Como Avenue Turn left on 29th Avenue SE From the West: Take 94 East to Hwy 280 Take the Como Avenue Exit Go West on Como Avenue Turn left on 29th Avenue SE

The ReUse Program Warehouse welcomes volunteer assistance from students, retired faculty, alumni and eco-friendly neighbors! Feel free to contact the ReUse Program at reuse@umn.edu for more information.

The Reuse Program hires undergraduate students throughout the year. These are part-time positions (some work-study) perfect for a U of M undergrad interested in helping to implement new and developing strategies to creatively reduce, reuse, and recycle.

The ReUse Warehouse is an active participant each semester in the Service Learning Program.

To reduce materials destined for the waste stream by redistributing to University Departments, selling to the general public or donating to those in need.

From 2011 through 2016 the University of Minnesota ReUse Program has handle around 1 million pounds of file cabinets. 370,638 lbs recycled, 107,543 lbs donated to nonprofits, 116,884 lbs returned to service at the University and 332,436 lbs sold to the general public.

For Fiscal year 2017 (July 2016 to June 2017) the Univeristy of Minnesota ReUse Program helped to divert 498.61 tons of materials from the waste stream. That's 997,220 lbs of stuff that did not get sent to a landfill or an incinerator. 420.14 tons was sold to the general public and 78.48 tons was return to service at the University.

The Virtual Warehouse is NOT a listing of materials available to staff at our warehouse at 883 29th Ave SE. The only materials listed on the Virtual warehouse are items held by U of MN employees at their locations that are available for redistribution or sale. The Virtual Warehouse is a private exchange for University of Minnesota employees and students. This free website is operated by the University's ReUse Program and allows anyone with an @umn.edu address to connect and exchange reusable goods. This prevents waste and saves users money. This website is affiliated with the Minnesota Materials Exchange, which is the waste-not classifieds especially for Minnesota industry, businesses, non-profits, and institutions. The Minnesota Materials Exchange is operated by the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) at the University of Minnesota. MnTAP provides tailored pollution prevention and energy efficiency solutions for Minnesota businesses.

The University of Minnesota ReUse Program can accept non hazardous materials owned by the University. We can not accept privately owned materials from the general public. The ReUse Program offers a generally free pick up service for small quantities of most materials from designated locations on campus. See the ReUse Guidelines below. You may also hire 3rd party movers or University general laborers to move any quantity of materials from any location on campus.

The ReUse route will collect small quantities of most materials for no charge. If you have industrial equipment, large pieces of lab equipment, equipment with refrigeration, or large quantities of materials (more than the ReUse Route guidelines below) fees do apply. The Como recycling facility and ReUse Program charge 10 cents per pound for most materials in large quantities and special rates apply for large items or materials that are refrigerated.

The University of Minnesota can not accept materials from the general public. All materials available through the University's ReUse Program are owned and donated by the University. If you have privately owned usable materials to donate please contact an organization like ReUSE Minnesota to find suitable organizations that can receive your materials.

For non capital equipment, view the ReUse Routes guide and determine when our driver will be at your building. Leave items at the designated pickup location, clearly marked, and the driver will pick up the items. Please note: we are unable to come inside your building beyond the loading dock to collect your materials.

If you have capital equipment that you no longer need you must first request disposal of the property through Inventory Services. You may download the appropriate form from the University of Minnesota policy library. After approval, the asset tag should be removed. From there, the item may be transferred to the ReUse Program. If you have equipment that can be sold for $1000 or more look at our Profit Sharing Program.

Are you a University department with high value equipment to sell? Partner with the ReUse Center and we will help you sell your items as part of our profit sharing program.

The ReUse Program will pick up new, used and empty toner and ink cartridges and ensure they get handled in an environmentally sound manner. Simply leave them at your building's pickup location and we'll pick it up. Please label them for ReUse/Recycling.

Pack & Give Back is aimed at reducing waste generated by students moving at the beginning and end of each semester. When students move out in the spring, they are encouraged to donate things they no longer need to ReUse, and we’ll sort and sell or dispose of them. Pickup locations are in residence halls on campus.

Donations to Pack and Give Back are open to all residents in the Marcy-Holmes, Southeast Como, Prospect Park, and Cedar-Riverside neighborhoods.

Donations are accepted during specific dates each year at the warehouse or at specified donation boxes on campus. Dates will be published on our Facebook page and posted in residence halls. DO NOT drop materials outside the ReUse warehouse overnight. This is considered illegal dumping and will be prosecuted. Materials for donation can only be accepted during normal business hours.

Did you see something on Facebook that you can't live without? The only way to guarantee the right to buy something is to be the first person in line before we open for a public sale. On occasion we have had people show up several hours before opening to have first right to purchase an item. We cannot hold items by Facebook request, email request or voicemail request. We can sell you an item over the phone during public hours only. The fastest way to reach us is by email. Send us a number you can be reached at and we will call you back and accept payment over the phone. Please be aware, the first right to purchase an item will go to customers physically here waiting when we open on public sales days. If an item does not sell it may be available for purchase over the phone.

We accept cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover (checks are not accepted).

University departments must provide their EFS string (Fund – DeptID – Program/Project) and have their photo U card identification with them. There is no charge for reuse within the University for most materials at the ReUse warehouse. Some exceptions include materials we repair, refurbish, have an expense associated with, are part of the Profit Share Program or are vintage. These materials may have an actual cost to departments.

All items are sold as is. No refunds, no exchanges. We recommend that customers carefully inspect and test items prior to purchase.

Displayed prices are non-negotiable for the first two weeks after an item is first offered for sale to the public. This date is displayed on every price tag. We offer standardized discounts based on the time the item has been available for purchase. The color of the sales sticker indicates the automatic discount of 20%, 40%, 60% or even as much as 80% off. The colors for sales are indicated on a sign at the cashier station for each sale day. There are no discounts for items marked with white stickers.

We deliver to University building docks for the small fee of $45 for the first 100 pounds and $7.50 for every additional 100 pounds. Our ReUse route cannot deliver beyond the loading docks indicated on our routes page. You may hire 3rd party movers to bring materials from ReUse to anywhere on campus. We can also arrange UMN Laborers to move materials anywhere on campus. Please email us for information. reuse@umn.edu

If suitable transportation is not possible at time of purchase, we will hold items at our facility for one week after payment is made. After one week, we will restock held items and offer them for sale.

In the fall many items from Pack & Give Back are available in the Free Store, held for two weeks at the beginning of the semester. We encourage students to check out the Free Store before purchasing new items such as futons, furniture and refrigerators. Residents of neighborhoods Marcy-Holmes, Southeast Como, Cedar-Riverside, and Prospect Park may also shop the Free Store during the last week of the sale, if they have made a donation.

The ReUse center holds two bike sales of refurbished bikes that have been abandoned on campus.