Wages and operating costs are paid from sales so it is important that the enterprise is conducted like any other business gaining as much income as possible to pay for increased running costs. ERS has to purchase all its own vehicles, machinery and equipment. ERS started back in 1994 when a small group of unemployed people were given access to scavenge at the landfill to recover items that could be resold with the aim of creating employment for themselves through these sales. It has been very successful with great community support. The story is told in a publication Guide to starting a communty recycling venture

The idea of ERS is to reduce waste to landfill while creating employment and providing cheap secondhand materials to the Greater Bendigo community. Last year over 9000 tonnes of reusable and recyclable products were diverted from landfill, this could have been higher had people sorted their load prior going to the landfill. There are Recycle Shops throughout Australia and an E-Book has been produced telling their stories CRNAEbookPDF.

Board Members

Jeff Cummins – President

Leon Scott – Vice President

Dean Pearce – Treasurer

Tim Miller – Director

Len Williams – Director

Jim Boyer – Director

Phillippa Spurling – Director

Annette Wiles – Secretary (Manager)

Contributing to the wider community.

The Board operates under the ERS Association Rules  and are all voluntary. They meet monthly to review the operation and to implement the ERS Strategic Plan. ERS is audited annually by an independent auditor and an ERS annual meeting  is held in October of each year. Staff meet each week on a Wednesday morning to review and organise their work load.