Community Based Waste Reduction and Reuse Centre

About Beyond The Blue Box

Beyond the Blue Box is especially proud of the employment opportunities it provides for members of the community with development needs. And we have fun doing it!

A Community Success Story

Beyond the Blue Box is one of Canada's longest standing and most successful community based waste reduction and reuse centres.

For 30 years, it has been accepting donations of reusable items from the community and diverting them from Northumberland County landfill sites. It does this by operating two bustling stores on Covert Street in Cobourg.

With the help of community volunteers, our not-for-profit operation collects, sorts and resells donated items for prices that are just enough to cover operating costs.

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Robyn

Since 1992...

Since 1992, we have diverted more than 19 thousand metric tonnes of reusable material from county landfill sites, which represents a major saving for county taxpayers.

As its reputation has grown, Beyond the Blue Box has become a destination for shoppers from all over central Ontario. The stores received an estimated 200,000 visits per year.

100% of the revenue from Beyond the Blue Box operations is recycled into the local economy in the form of wages, capital and operating expenditures.

We give back to the Community

As a charitable institution, through the years Beyond the Blue Box has helped more than 3,150 local families through its work with Cornerstone, the Help Centre, Salvation Army, Transition House and other community agencies.

From the friendly faces that greet you when you drop off your reusables to the people who sort and stock at the stores, it is volunteers who make Beyond the Blue Box a successful community initiative. Some are adults with special social and employment needs. Some are students from high schools and colleges seeking community service experience. Some are parolees from the justice system looking for a second chance and a fresh start. Others are ordinary citizens who drop by and become volunteers — part of a special place in our community, where neighbours help neighbours and make this a better place to live.

Group Photo

Beyond the Blue Box

The Board

The Beyond the Blue Box board are:

Robb Howells – Chair

Marielle Lambert – vice-Chair/Secretary

Kate Morris – Treasurer

Pam Marr, Lynn McMillan, Cathy Moore, Judy Smith and Estelle Cortesis

Our Vision

To provide work, social, and training opportunities for developmentally disabled individuals, while promoting reduction, re-use, and recycling of waste in Northumberland County.

Hours

Shopping Hours

7 days a week
10am to 4pm

Donations

Mon - Sat 10am -3pm

Contact Us

Beyond the Blue Box
14 Covert Street
Cobourg, ON

905-373-7202
bluebox@eagle.ca