With the transition to a circular economy now firmly on the agenda across Tasmania and significant per capita waste generation targets to achieve, Kingborough Council, along with three other Tasmanian councils, are taking a community-driven approach through the Garage Sale Trail program.

Now in its 12th year across Australia, Garage Sale Trail is a waste education and behaviour change program, which centres around a two-weekend festival of garage sales in November.

Enabled by councils but powered by the local community, the program saw over 3% of the Kingborough population get involved in 2022, with 1,310 residents choosing to sell or shop secondhand over the two weekends of garage sales.

Results of a recently released report by Taverner Research Group into the Garage Sale Trail program in Kingborough have shown a win-win for council and residents alike, with 11,706 kilograms of items reused and $15,452 generated for the local economy through the sale of unwanted household goods.

Director of Engineering Services at Kingborough Council, David Reeve, explained, “Programs like Garage Sale Trail play a valuable role in shifting community perceptions of secondhand, supporting the transition to a circular economy and enabling more effective reuse of unwanted items.”

As well as creating short term impact, the latest research also reveals longer term benefits, with 22% of participants saying they will now buy secondhand products over new in the future.

The impacts extend well beyond waste too. The average seller in Kingborough pocketed $836 and met 51 people in their local community, highlighting the social and economic impacts circular economy programs can bring.

For more information on the Garage Sale Trail program and to find out how your council can get involved visit www.lesswastemorecommunity.com or email barbara@garagesaletrail.com.au.  Expressions of interest close to councils on 31 May 2023.