Prague Re-Use Center will open in Pražská tržnice

Prague has been found a location for its planned Re-Use Center, where perfectly usable items that have been discarded can be sold to the public.

This cuts down on waste going into landfills and also saves on using new resources on unnecessary manufacturing. In the case of electronic items, it prevents heavy metals from polluting the environment.

The City Council announced that the center will be located at Hall 23 of Pražská tržnice on Bubenské nábřeží in Prague 7.

The hall is not currently in use, has enough retail space and parking space, and is easily accessible by road and public transportation. Prior to placing the Re-Use Center there, the hall will be completely refurbished.

The Re-Use Center will have items from the municipal collection yards that are not waste and in a state where they can be reused. These include, for example, household equipment and furnishings, furniture, books, baby carriages, bicycles, utensils, toys and the like.

The items will be sorted by the service center staff and priced, and then offered for sale to be reused. This is different than classical recycling, as the items are not broken down into plastic, glass, metal and paper parts so those components can be made into something else. Instead, items that are already in good condition are sold to be used again for their original purpose.

The plan is also to establish cooperation with charities, children's homes, shelters, museums and the like, which will also allow the accumulated material to be used again.

There will also be organized ecological events and seminars for students and representatives of schools, nurseries, interest groups and other organizations.

The Prague Re-Use Center goes along with the city’s goals to slow down waste generation and limit how much area is used for waste disposal. Prague has taken inspiration from other European cities that have been operating similar centers for years.

“We were inspired by Vienna, where the Tandler Re-Use Center works well and has become a new tourist attraction,” City Councilor Jana Plamínková said on the City Hall website.

Pražská tržnice itself has been recycled, It began as a slaughterhouse, and statues of cows can still be found at its entrance. Individual halls are still being reclaimed for new uses. Jatka 78, for example, is a former slaughterhouse hall that has been refurbished as a multi-use center for alternative theater and cultural events. It has been operating since 2014.

The area also has other entertainment venues, indoor and outdoor shops for all kinds of goods, and a food market. Vietnamese sellers with imported goods and Asian restaurants have a large presence.

The culturally protected buildings were made in the Art Nouveau and Neo-Renaissance styles in the 1890s.