Why Should We Reduce The Amount Of Waste Destined For Landfill*

*This is a collaborative post*

Here in the UK most people are familiar with the concept of recycling waste, separating it into different colour coded bins and boxes and thus we feel we’ve played a small but positive role in the responsible disposal of our waste and thus in the conservation of our planet. This is great. But many of us are still sending far too much of our unwanted items or junk to the landfill sites without much consideration of the damage we are doing to our own environment. An ‘out of sight, out of mind’ kind of situation it would appear. 

But of course there are numerous downsides to this rather archaic form of waste disposal, especially in relation to the environment, to ecosystems and such. For example the breakdown of waste materials can lead to the build up of toxic material such as Leachate or hazardous gases such as Methane and Carbon Dioxide. By reducing the amount of waste we produce and by being a little more aware of our options we can all help to greatly reduce the negative effects of landfill sites on the environment.

Up-cycling/Recycling/Re-purposing

There are certain things you might consider to be trash which someone else might see as treasure. Perhaps you see a worn out, old and dated wooden table, but to someone else, they see a project, just what they were looking for. You’d be amazed at the things people will re-purpose or up-cycle. 

Bulky Waste

When it comes to disposing of bulky furniture such as sofas, dining tables, wardrobes and the like, bulky waste collection services are available throughout the UK, some privately owned and some council led. It is always wise to compare different services before picking one. 

There are companies who even specialise in recycling sofas. Approximately 800,000 sofas are disposed of in landfill every year here in the UK. People don’t realise that many of these sofas can be recycled and need not be wasted.

However again not only could you save a pretty penny or two but you will also be content in the knowledge that your unwanted ‘rubbish’ is not going to end up dumped into the earth. Another downside to having to dispose of larger furniture is that it can cost a lot of money. Sometimes the fees involved can be quite daunting, so by finding someone who is willing to take the item off your hands for free, everyone’s a winner.

Where To Even Begin

If you live in the Greater London area then you might be interested to know that there is an online marketplace called LoveJunk which is perfect for those who are seeking solutions to their respective waste disposal problems. They will help to save you money by finding you the best service and price for your specific needs, while also aiming to do their bit to reduce the amount of waste which gets sent to landfill. Although at present they are operational in London, plans are for the company to branch out across the UK in the coming months. whatever your needs, you can look at easy to understand comparisons and make a better informed decision. From fully licenced rubbish collection to bulky waste collection, they have you covered.

For those not in the London area, check online to find businesses which can help you, and make sure to get quotes from a few of them as some companies seem to charge unreasonably high rates.

*Photo sources - Header image, second image, third image.

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