Best Practices

"El Rastrell" is a non-profit society. Its main activity is based on two fundamental bases: Social Action and Collection, Recovery and Recycling Work. From the beginning they have taken the recovery of household goods and waste, to obtain the economic base with which they finance their project in a self-sufficient way. This activity, which in principle did not harbour any connotation of an ecological nature, has become a job that is fully recognized by a society that increasingly seeks a relationship of harmony with its environment and nature. Along these lines, El Rastrell focuses its work on the household collection and handling of urban solid waste, furniture, electrical appliances, clothing, ferrous metals, extending their useful life, thus contributing to the prevailing environmental policy. As an added value, collection at home is a considerable convenience, especially for the elderly, and a guarantee to avoid the unpleasant presence of belongings abandoned on the street. They recover, reuse and recycle everything. The creation of a second-hand market is made possible, which responds both to a great social demand and to clients who are aware of another, more rational form of consumption.

The main focus of Rastrell is the social inclusion and labour insertion. But they also approach the environmental aspect of ESG. With their work they contribute to improving the environment, mitigating the loss of natural resources, contributing to energy savings and extracting what can be considered waste as economic wealth. They also promote new form of consumption.

• Social Action (Insertion-Socio-Labor)
• Recovery of furniture, belongings and textiles.
• Circular economy principles: Reduce, Recover, reuse and recycle.

At the present time, El Rastrell is made up of a large staff, in a fixed and stable employment situation.

At environmental level, they give as an example the year 2013, during which they collected over 1 million kgs of waste material, contributing to giving them a second life.

They now belong to the national association AERESS, the Spanish association of collectors of social and solidary economy.

The current infrastructure and equipment is:

- Warehouse-Shop of 700 meters for sale of second-hand objects.

- Commercial premises selling clothes and accessories of 180 meters.

- Commercial premises selling second-hand objects of 250 meters.

- Warehouse of 1000 meters in the Barrio del Cristo polygon (Quart de Poblet)

- Five vehicles.

- As well as everything necessary for storage and classification in the

clothing activity (cages, boxes, shelves, forklift etc.)

The Rastrell company is an interesting case as it shows how a non for-profit association could later derivate in the creation of a social insertion company that now supports the project. The insertion company arose from the need to reflect on the ground a commitment that the association assumed from its beginnings, a social responsibility to support the most disadvantaged groups.

Memoria Explicativa: Asociación “El Rastrell” Tu ropa crea puestos de trabajo, hazla útil. https://www.upv.es/entidades/CCD/infoweb/ccd/info/U0677685.pdf