Venda Garagem (Garagem Sale)

Garage Sale: Before buying new, see if what you need already exists

LIPOR’s Garage Sale turns waste prevention into an everyday choice: before buying something new, look at what already exists.

The initiative was created in response to a simple observation: many objects discarded by citizens still have value and can continue to fulfil the purpose for which they were produced. Instead of allowing these products to enter the waste treatment system, LIPOR created a reuse pathway that enables them to return to use.

Goods are collected through different channels, including LIPOR’s recycling centres and a home collection service, and are then assessed and prepared for reuse. The process includes sorting, weighing and cleaning and, where appropriate, repair and upcycling, before suitable items are made available through LIPOR’s Garage Sale.

Since its launch in December 2024, the Garage Sale has evolved from an experimental initiative into a regular service. It is currently open every Wednesday and on the first Saturday of each month, making reuse continuously accessible to the community.

Around 20,000 objects have already found a new use through the Garage Sale, generating approximately 4,000 transactions. Instead of becoming waste, these products remain in circulation and can respond to someone’s needs without requiring the consumption of a newly produced item.

On 25 November 2026, during the European Week for Waste Reduction, LIPOR will not organise a special one-off sale. The Garage Sale will open as it normally does every Wednesday. This is an intentional part of the message: waste prevention should not be an exceptional action confined to one week of the year, but a normal and accessible way of consuming.

The action gives practical meaning to the 2026 EWWR theme of Material Sufficiency. It demonstrates that reducing material consumption does not necessarily mean giving up what we need. It can start by asking a different question:

Before buying new, does what I need already exist?

By connecting discarded but usable goods with new users, LIPOR seeks to demonstrate that reuse can become a normal part of the consumption system, extending product lifetimes, reducing waste and avoiding unnecessary demand for new resources.

The Garage Sale therefore goes beyond selling second-hand objects. It demonstrates a replicable model for keeping existing products and materials in use for longer, turning waste prevention from an environmental principle into a tangible consumer experience.