How to Get Rid of Redundant Household Items Responsibly
Are you wondering how to get rid of some unwanted household items but unsure of how you should go about it. Disposing of some types of redundant articles requires a little extra effort. For example, getting rid of white goods and mattresses will require more than your average household bin in order to dispose of them without hurting the environment.
Here are some tips to help you safely and efficiently remove those difficult items or possibly re-purpose them in clever ways .
Whitegoods
Fortunately when your fridge or washing machine finally expire, there are some excellent disposal options available.
- State governments have introduced a fridge buy-back scheme for old but still functioning fridges. The scheme aims to reduce greenhouse gases, as the older model refrigerators draw much more power and produce more carbon than the more modern counterparts.
- When you purchase your new appliance, the majority of stores offer a removal service (usually included in the price).
- Your local council may have a recycling drop-off location, but you will need a trailer to transport the appliance yourself.
Alternatively, you may be handy enough with a few tools or an enthusiastic hobbyist and decide to re-purpose that old fridge and give it a new life. It could become:
- a planter box
- a garden storage
- an outdoor party chest for entertaining
- a kegerator
- a worm farm
Mattresses
Unfortunately, mattresses are one of the most common items that we see dumped on the side of the road. They take up a huge percentage of landfill space and take many years to break down.
Your old mattress can be collected and taken away through something like Soft Landing (a not-for-profit scheme for recycling). The mattress parts are separated and recycled. The springs are turned into scrap metal and the fabric becomes the stuffing material for boxing bags.
The scheme provides jobs for unemployed people and a number of bedding retailers have also partnered with the project.
Paint and Chemicals
If they are not safely disposed of, paints and chemicals have the potential to endanger human health by polluting waterways and contaminating the soil.
Consequently, government and councils have recognised the risks and now provide many places to safely dispose of these sorts of hazardous waste. Check with your local authority for your nearest collection point through schemes such as Planet Ark.
We all like to do the right thing for the environment but often we are too tired or too busy .We don't have enough time or the extra energy to deal with waste in the manner we would like. Luckily we can call on the rubbish removal professionals to do it all for us.
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