Keeping reusable stuff out of landfills: Organization redistributes office furniture and more to nonprofits, other groups

Written by Michael Keating

Tons of office furniture ends up in landfills, and it could get worse as office workers continue to work from home rather than return to the office. Green Standards, a specialized environmental firm that works with corporations and government organizations to redistribute surplus office furniture, equipment and supplies, is working to make a difference.

The company helps major organizations that are moving or renovating to donate their surplus furniture and equipment. Green Standards provides free office furniture, equipment and supplies⁠—with free delivery⁠—to registered non-profits, schools and community organizations around the world on behalf of its corporate clients and partners. The firm measures and maximizes environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) impact for businesses while virtually eliminating landfill. A partner to the world’s largest organizations, Green Standards enables the efficient and ethical redistribution of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) during times of workplace change.

In some situations, local government agencies that provide health, education, infrastructure or social services can qualify for donations through Green Standards.

The organization offers a proven platform for sustainable office decommissioning. It is currently active in 35 countries globally. By rethinking wasteful processes, Green Standards achieves a 99 percent landfill diversion rate on corporate real estate projects.

Trevor Langdon, president and co-founder of Green Standards, says local governments can be more sustainable and greener by using an overall transition plan during renovations and office moves. With a transition plan, the surplus items that would likely be left for disposal during renovations and moves are thoughtfully repurposed.

“During retrofits, especially those incentivized by the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) robust tax incentives, local leaders should consider how to repurpose, recycle or responsibly dispose of outdated fixtures and equipment that would otherwise be discarded during modernization projects,” Langdon tells Co-op Solutions. He explains how this is a good thing: “Leaders can bolster the local nonprofit community by redirecting surplus city and county equipment and furniture to a new home with nonprofits in need.”

Langdon believes office transitions can offer big-time opportunities. He says that typically, during office moves, renovations and downsizing, more than 80 percent of furniture, fixtures and equipment is sent to landfill, accounting for an annual 10-million-ton waste stream in the United States. “Nearly all of these surplus furnishings can be given a new life through specialized recycling, resale or donation strategies that benefit nonprofit organizations within the local community while avoiding landfill.”

It is Langdon’s view that cities and counties have several options to grow sustainability. He notes that the built environment accounts for 40 percent of global carbon emissions and in some cities, real estate can account for more than 60 percent of the municipality’s emissions. “Some local governments are implementing targets to decarbonize buildings with regulations or incentives for investor owners and tenants. Green leases are also rising in popularity, which consider sustainability costs and investments (like upgraded HVAC) through sustainable decommissioning.” His conclusion: “In this time of major workplace change, there is a great opportunity for cities and counties to make sustainable buildings the norm, and one simple place to start is at the end, with office decommissioning.”

City-county officials and legislators can take several steps to make their communities more sustainable, Langdon believes. Lawmakers, for instance, should consider enacting lease responsibility laws that require tenants and landlords to have a sustainable solution for furnishings at the termination of a real estate lease. “Without these measures, companies and landlords are left with no clear directive on how to avoid landfill for surplus items.”

He notes that government officials can set goals to purchase furnishings with recycled content or in some cases, preowned items. “These targets can increase as furniture offerings continue to change to be made of 100 percent recycled materials or OEMs launch second-hand offerings.” Langdon adds that all these efforts can be measured, tracked and translated into strong sustainability achievements in U.S. communities.

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Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].