The Waste to Profit Network Member Exchange Site lets you sell, donate or trade by-products materials that you dispose of with people who can use them. You can post listings of items and materials you wish to get rid of or browse for those currently available in your area.

This exchange site and the Waste to Profit Program was started by the Chicago Manufacturing Center in partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Environment, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and US EPA Region 5.

The Waste to Profit Network Member Exchange Site is a forum for registered subscribers to post available materials, search and request materials, and identify future project needs. Through this electronic exchange, the Waste to Profit Network Team will be able to quantify the success of the program in terms of materials diverted, cost savings to both suppliers and consumers of material, and greenhouse gas emission and water savings.

Unlike a traditional waste swap or “garage sale” approach, the Waste to Profit Network Member Exchange Site has a proprietary approach to creating by-product synergy which focuses on four areas of enhanced performance:

• Technical Support: WTPN Team members work through difficult synergies to identify innovative applications and opportunities for waste streams
• Business Relationship building: Network events are designed to foster trust and open communication between companies. Confidentiality is protected. Partnerships are inspired.
• Reliability: Unlike one-time waste swaps, WTPN focuses on continually available, consistent by products that can be tested to meet manufacturing specifications. WTPN focuses on fulfilling long-term supply chain needs, not one-time disposals.
• Documentation: The WTPN tracks the social, environmental and economic benefits of by-product synergy, creating a marketable story for companies to share about their commitment to Chicago and the environment.

Ultimately, the Waste to Profit Network Member Exchange Site would like to expand the website to cover other geographic regions throughout the United States. This material exchange program strengthens Chicago’s reputation as a “green” city by promoting the responsible reuse and recycling of industrial and commercial by-product materials and by establishing a more sustainable regional model. Additional benefits include a reduction in the volume of materials deposited in local landfills and in wear on public infrastructure.

Since October of 2006, the Waste to Profit Network has benefited the Chicago land area by diverting nearly 200,000 tons of materials from landfill, avoiding the emission of more than 125,000 tons of greenhouse gasses, and creating more than 17 million dollars in economic benefit to member companies.

Happy Hunting!