The Recycling Outreach Team’s “Community Spotlight” initiative highlights local stories about waste-sustainability. This month, Tanesia sat down with the owner of Second Nature Refillery to learn why buying in bulk promotes circularity, supports local businesses, and fights climate change through value based systems that support waste reduction! If you enjoy this blog, or know someone who might, please consider sharing this story!
May 20th, 2023
Community Spotlight Blog by Tanesia White, Recycling Educator
Interviewee: Wendy Toman, Second Nature Refillery (SNR)
Wendy first got involved as an environmental activist when she started volunteering in her kids’ school cafeteria 15 years ago in Delaware. The amount of wasteful packaging the kids brought from home really opened her eyes to the disposable disaster that has become the norm in the USA. Luckily, when Wendy brought these issues to the attention of the superintendent and board, they were open to making changes. She was able to start a comprehensive recycling and pre- and post-consumer composting program in 10 public schools.
After making NY her home 11 years ago, Wendy volunteered to make the Taste of New Paltz a low-waste event by adding composting (with UCRRA) and recycling for three years. She then spent two years as the Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Gardiner, where she managed the transfer station and started numerous reuse and recycling programs.
Witnessing carloads of perfectly useable household goods coming into the transfer station to be landfilled on a regular basis, either due to a relocation or death in the family, led Wendy to her next career move: household clean-outs and estate sales, with an antique shop to further re-home leftovers. She pursued this career for six years and realized that she could push the first two “Rs” of the reduce-reuse-recycle mantra even further by opening a bulk refill store.
What is a bulk/refillery store for those who may not know?
A refillery is simply a place where you can refill containers repeatedly with all kinds of products!
Why did you decide to open Second Nature Refillery?
After many years of observing people’s behaviors regarding waste and recycling, I was ready to offer a user-friendly and healthier alternative to the disposable packaging disaster locally.
What products/services does Second Nature Refillery offer?
SNR offers fresh produce, organic yogurt and tofu in returnable containers, condiments, pantry staples, baking goods, snacks, and kombucha. On the weekends, we offer freshly baked scones! We are exploring a bread share program where customers can pick up fresh bread without the plastic on a regular basis. Our non-edibles include household cleaning supplies and personal care items. Non-edible kitchen supplies include aprons, dish towels, silicone & cloth bags, compost bins, travel utensil sets, scrub brushes & sponges, recycled paper towels, storage/travel containers, tea infusers, reusable water bottles, and the like. For the kids, we have finger paints, colored pencils, chalk, beeswax crayons, play dough, and aprons. Gifts include upcycled jewelry, note pads & holders, candles, and greeting cards.
What waste reduction strategies do you practice within the store?
We reuse and recycle absolutely everything! Our tofu, yogurt, maple syrup, microgreens, farm produce, scones, and popcorn containers, plus others, are swapped out for full ones when emptied. We have a free container program, where customers can donate extra jars, tubs and clamshells for us to sanitize and offer to shoppers in need.
We offer the upcycling of plastic toothbrushes, dental floss, deodorant, and toothpaste tubes through TerraCycle, and will start a film upcycling program soon! We also educate consumers and advocate for backyard composting, or with local facilities such as New Paltz Community Center & Transfer Station, UCRRA, and Community Compost Co. We compost every crumb of organic waste, including what’s swept up from the floor! All of our shipping boxes are offered for free to anyone in need, getting multiple uses before being recycled.
What is the most important thing to you when it comes to the type of products being sold within the store? Why is this a priority?
We take a holistic approach to choosing our products, looking closely at origin, packaging, shipping, business/farming practices, location, and minority ownership. We only carry products with the most eco-friendly ingredients, meaning we have zero palm oil, perfumes, parabens, phthalates, SLS, PVA, or toxins in any of our household & personal care products. We always prioritize refill over recycling, so all of our plastic barrels and jugs of cleaning products are returned to the manufacturer to be refilled. We do not carry any products in single-use plastic.
What is one thing you wish people knew about buying in bulk?
I wish they knew how easy and fun it is! Some people are anxious about the idea of refilling, mostly because it’s a new concept to them. But once you give it a try, you will see how simple it can be, and it will soon become “second nature” to you! Our staff love to help out, so don’t be shy in asking!
You can also save money at a refillery! The products themselves are often priced lower per pound because they are package-free. You can also lower your waste disposal costs and eliminate food waste — because you are reducing your single-use containers that go into the recycling or trash bin, and you are buying just the amount of food you need! It’s a great way to become a steward of the environment, simply by switching your shopping habits!
What advice do you have for others looking to open a bulk goods and refillery store?
I recommend visiting as many refilleries in person and virtually as possible, and finding out what works and doesn’t work for them. Talking it up in your community, seeing if people are ready for this type of shopping, or if they need a lot of education. Getting support via a crowdfunding campaign or looking for partners with a similar mission to share a space. Mobile refill units are also becoming very popular, and this could be a less costly way to get started and get to know your target market!
What new and exciting projects do you have planned for the future?
We had a fun, in-person workshop in April (egg coloring with all natural dyes) and we plan to add more on a regular basis! Some ideas in the works include bubble tea making, storing & prepping mushrooms, cooking & baking with tofu, preparing fresh meals with a local farmer, recycled paper making, composting techniques, perfect scone baking, salt/sugar scrub concoctions, and more! We will soon be offering nut butters packaged in glass jars with a returnable $1 deposit. Check our FB, Instagram, and website for updates! We also offer private tours for groups, for a behind-the-scenes peek into how a refillery runs!
