Hackney toy sharing app unites local parents in the war on waste

Jason and Emma Ash have created a free app being trialled in Hackney to help parents save money on toys and kids items – and combat the millions of tonnes of household waste that goes to landfills each year.

Launched last week YoungPlanet is an online toy-sharing platform connecting parents and rehoming items many people throw away.

Jason and Emma started it after living and working around the world - moving home often meant getting rid of old stuff and buying new things for the kids.

Jason told the Gazette: "We're all becoming aware of the impact [we're having] on the planet, so we wanted to create a way to give parents a solution to a life with fast-growing children accumulating a house full of unused stuff."

Parents have already exchanged hundreds of products during the app's beta testing like prams, car seats and clothes.

They hope to introduce the idea to other boroughs through a crowdfunding campaign.