When it's time to say goodbye to a piece of furniture, you might
find yourself with a few options. We’ve all seen that couch or mattress find
its way to the neighborhood dumpster only to get rained on until someone
eventually gives in and hauls it to the dump. Many trash companies actually
won’t even pick up large items like that.
While it’s of course
“easier” to throw that piece of furniture to the side of the road and hope it
gets picked up or dumped out, that’s not the best option. Furniture isn’t
something that can decompose the longer it sits out at a landfill. In fact, the
Environmental Protection Agency actually found
that in 2005, 9.69 million tons of furniture and furnishings were dumped at a
landfill. That number has only grown tremendously and will continue to grow.
So, what are your
other options?
If you’re looking
into other options for getting rid of furniture you no longer want, you may
consider donating or recycling it. There are many organizations out there that
take donated furniture and give it to people who need it, such as those coming
out of homelessness, poverty, or domestic violence. There are also many
organizations that exist to help Veterans furnish their homes. You may also be
familiar with stores like Goodwill who take donations and then put them on the
sales floor for prices far below retail.
Donating Furniture
While most of these
are tax-deductible opportunities and thus desirable, not every piece of
furniture is made equal. Many times, the quality of or state that the furniture
is in may not be ideal to be reused or donated. If your furniture has stains,
has lived long beyond its years, or is no longer usable, donating it may not be
a good idea for you.
If you want more
information on where and how to donate furniture, this
resource may be helpful.
Recycling
Furniture
When people hear the
word “recycling,” they often don’t associate it with furniture. The thing is,
furniture is made of a variety of materials, many of which can be recycled. When
it comes to mattresses, 80% of the materials in it can actually be recycled. At
our facility, we accept mattresses and box springs and do our part to get them
separated and recycled where we can. To read more about what this process looks
like, check out our previous blog here.
Our facility is able
to process old furniture such as couches, recliners, chairs, dressers, desks,
and more. We remove any steel that’s in the furniture and send whatever remains
for further recycling of the wood and materials. Our fees for recycling
furniture are $20 for mattresses, box springs, tables, dressers, recliners, and
loveseats, and $40 for couches.
Before you recycle
furniture, make sure that you remove any personal items, especially if it’s
something like a dresser or desk.
Helping the
Environment
Recycling furniture
rather than leaving it at a landfill is a responsible choice for the
environment. By recycling, any of the materials that can be recycled can be
reused and made into other items. Materials like metal, wood, and foam can be
used for things like scrap metal, mulch, carpet padding, and fabric.
When it’s time to say
goodbye to furniture in your home or office, we’d love to be your first stop
for items that can’t be donated or repaired. Give us a call today if you have
any questions at 888-283-0007. We look forward to helping reduce your waste
production and helping you make the most out of the furniture you loved!
