Getting Rid of Old Junk in a Way that Helps the Environment
Posted by admin in Furniture and Fixture, Home Business, House Tips on 06-07-2012
The guest post was contributed by Natural Mat
We all need a good clear-out every so often. It is very easy to find yourself wading under a pile of ‘stuff’ that you no longer need or that the children have grown out of. Here are some ways to consider offloading your unwanted junk in an environmentally friendly way.
Textiles
Take your unwanted textile items to a charity shop or recycle box. Even if some of the clothing is rubbish, some shops will take the items and sell them on to be recycled. They can still make money on them. You can also take clothes and shoes to a recycle bank yourself, or if items are good enough, then sell them on an auction website.
Old Furniture and Electrical Items
Some of the charity shops are now setting up shops that can take and sell on your old furniture and electrical items. There are some provisos: sofas and soft furniture must still have their flame retardant label attached, and some personal items such as foot spas and electric shavers will not be wanted. Some shops can also offer a free collection.
Recyclable Items
Do separate out card, paper, glass and any other recyclable items and put them in the appropriate recycle bin.
Garden Waste
Most councils offer a green waste bin – some will even collect it for you. You can get rid of hedge clippings, grass cuttings, weeds etc at your local refuse tip. You can compost it yourself if you wish – councils offer cheap compost bins to residents to encourage composting. For large items, some councils offer a shredding service for a small fee.
Appliances
When you buy a new appliance then you should be offered the facility for the shop to take the old one away. It is important that white goods such as fridges and freezers are disposed of safely as they contain chemicals. Your local refuse centre should also be willing to take your old appliances.
Freegle
Finally, don’t forget your local Freegle group. Freegle is the new name for Freecycle and you can join a local group and offer your unwanted items on there. Just don’t get tempted by someone else’s offer, or you might find yourself filling up your space again!
Photo Credit: Spectrum G00109_Lumaxart.com
