Green Brief: Building a Reuse Future on Vashon

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Zero Waste Vashon (ZWV) has begun work on the King County (KC) Re+ seed grant to evaluate the feasibility of a building materials reuse facility on Vashon-Maury Island (VMI). This grant is under KC Solid Waste Division’s Re+ program and runs for six months.

Most of the $10,000 in funding will pay for a consultant to help develop and model the business plan for the reuse facility. Imagine this reuse facility as a complement to Granny’s Attic, finding new homes for building materials not accepted by Granny’s and now mostly destined for the landfill. The basic aim is to keep good stuff local and in use.

Re+ is King County’s approach to building a healthy environment and economy by reinventing our waste management system. Nearly 70% of the materials currently brought to the Cedar Hills landfill could be reused, recycled or composted. Through Re+, KC is deepening waste prevention and reduction methods, finding innovative ways to match materials with end markets and, in doing so, reducing climate emissions and helping create new opportunities in a greener economy.

Unlike most of KC, VMI has no construction waste collection. A reuse store can help make a dent in this volume by giving good-quality building materials new lives.

ZWV has worked on turning waste into resources on VMI for the past 12 years. We have successfully increased recycling here with educational programs, residential recycling pickup, yard waste drop-off at the transfer station and by securing funding for a compost facility on Vashon.

As you read in my Green Brief on Aug. 28, 2025, reuse helps the climate, saves money, supports jobs and strengthens communities. Reuse is generally better than recycling because the energy and resources invested in a product are preserved, not destroyed.

The shift is from a linear economy — where products, once used, are discarded (take → make → use → waste) — to a circular economy, where products and materials continue in the system for as long as possible. This change contributes to a more sustainable future and is gaining traction at local and global scales. A reuse facility helps strengthen community resilience while providing lower-cost options for building and creative projects.

We have assembled teams of volunteers passionate about this project. Each team is working on collecting and analyzing data that will feed into the business plan. We have several opportunities to help fill project teams and roles. One team is focused on identifying a potential site for a reuse facility.

A building space of at least 2,000 to 3,000 square feet, with room to expand, is required. This is critical to the success of the project. Suggestions of available large spaces or property that can house this project are welcome.

A second team is surveying VMI builders and contractors to determine what materials may be available and what needs exist. A third team is tracking the value and volume of potentially reusable materials going to the landfill from the Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station. They are also quantifying reusables left at the ends of residents’ driveways as giveaways or shared on social media.

Another team is organizing an upcoming spring 2026 reuse event with our Seattle partner, Second Use. This will be similar to the one we held at the K2 parking lot in September 2025. That successful event resulted in two truckloads of reusable items being saved from the landfill. The 2026 reuse event will be timed around Earth Day in mid-April. Check the ZWV website’s event calendar for the date.

Data from these events help us quantify the volume and value of reusable materials on VMI. ZWV also welcomes help with communications. If you like finding and writing stories about turning waste into resources, or creating art on this theme, contact us.

The ZWV Re-Use Committee has been conducting research over the last several years in preparation for this grant. Members have been visiting reuse stores in the Pacific Northwest and working with island stakeholders to understand the nature of VMI building material supply and demand.

The project now requires specialized expertise to generate business models, assess community supply and demand and identify pathways for successful implementation.

This is a community project that ZWV will help launch. If this work excites you, please join us in making this vision a reality. We welcome your ideas on a reuse facility and location. Contact us at reuse@zerowastevashon.org. Thank you for contributing to the transition from a linear to a circular economy on VMI.

Steve Bergman is a geologist, Zero Waste Vashon board member and Whole Vashon Project advisor.