What鈥檚 considered scrap material in the world of plumbing has become a gold mine for a small business owner鈥檚 charitable efforts in 91原创.

Spencer Turley of Murrayville Plumbing has launched a new non-profit, Copper 4 Kids, that allows plumbers to donate excess copper materials from aging plumbing systems.

Currently, old pieces of pipe and hot water tanks are taken to recycling centres by plumbers for a small profit, or sometimes, even abandoned outside, Turley said.

Seeing a gap, he decided to partner with local suppliers and a recycling company to set up drop off zones for excess materials. Any plumber who visits a participating wholesaler will be able to throw scrap copper inside specified bins on site. Once full, the bins will be collected and the materials recycled, with the profits donated to various children鈥檚 charities in 91原创.

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鈥淔or plumbing, scrap is always an unaccounted profit. Unless you鈥檙e doing a specific job where you鈥檙e taking that into account before you start, it鈥檚 definitely just a little bonus. A lot of guys 鈥� call it beer money, because it鈥檚 money that wasn鈥檛 there before,鈥� Turley said.

鈥淎nd we always see people throwing out a ton of copper. Even if it鈥檚 just a little piece, a couple inches at a time, every little bit helps.鈥�

Giving back to the community isn鈥檛 something new for the team at Murrayville Plumbing. Turley, who was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce last year, has looked for ways to donate since launching his company a few years ago.

But as the operator of a small business, he knows it鈥檚 not always feasible to give away large sums of money.

鈥淒onating cash is sometimes hard. We鈥檝e done it in the past, and we will continue to do it, but to donate $15,000, and then have an unexpected thing happen after that, can be quite stressful,鈥� he said.

鈥淪o rather than pull out money from your bank account, you can do this and it鈥檚 money going to a good cause. Then you鈥檙e really not harming yourself in any way, or putting yourself out.鈥�

Turley chose children鈥檚 charities as the Copper 4 Kids beneficiaries, specifically, as he grew up in a home with a single mom, and knows how difficult it can be for parents.

Now the father of four children himself, he鈥檚 hoping to use the first batch of donations towards a youth sports program, extra-curricular activities, or the breakfast program at his kids鈥� elementary school in Murrayville.

鈥淭he key to living is definitely giving,鈥� Turley said. 鈥淎nd for us to start this business and have so many people in 91原创 be supportive, trust us in their homes, and things like that 鈥� you realize there鈥檚 a way bigger picture.鈥�

For more information on Murrayville Plumbing, visit .

A new website, www.copper4kids.ca, will be launched in the coming days.

miranda@langleytimes.com
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