Initially commissioned by the Public Employment Service in Vienna to support long-term unemployed back into the market, R.U.S.Z offers skills transfer to former long-term unemployed and disabled people on repair services for electrical and electronic appliances mainly for private households and city-wide re-use of white goods. The municipality of Vienna, department for environmental protection supports R.U.S.Z´s donation program which feeds its re-use centre. Private households, which are willing to donate their old washing machine, are supported with two thirds of the transportation costs. Currently, new concepts have been introduced, such as repair cafés, where people can come in and learn how to fix their items instead of replacing them with new ones. The service allowed to prevent 15,000+ tonnes of e-waste since 1998, increase electronic equipment ‘lifespan’ by an average of 25%, reduce water and energy consumption by 20% in older washing machines, repair approximately 400 tonnes of appliances annually. The store is also changing the thinking around the ‘throwaway culture’ by raising awareness with the general public on the waste problem.

Photo by Clint Bustrillos on Unsplash