Benefits of reuse
Furniture
Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Paint
Benefits of reuse
Just because something is not useful to you anymore does not mean that it has no use. Many of the items we throw away every day can be useful and may have a value to people who are not so well off, both in this country and abroad. We need to think carefully about how we dispose of some of these items, for example:
- I.T. equipment can be reused either locally or even abroad
- Furniture and household equipment can be refurbished, usually through local authorities or community recycling groups
- Unused paint can be put to good use thus reducing damage to the environment caused by dumping in landfill
- What really seems like rubbish can be used for other purposes, such as plastic drinks bottles as garden cloches for seedlings or how about using that plastic carrier bag as a bin liner at home.
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Furniture
Furniture represents one of the most difficult items to dispose of. It is heavy, bulky and often there is a large quantity of it especially in house clearances. As a result it is often thrown away. This is a problem for the council too as they often have to use specific vehicles to collect it, not their usual dustbin wagons.
Where can I dispose of my furniture?
Calderdale Council operates a bulky refuse / furniture collection scheme through Focsa Services, the districts waste operator. The furniture is collected from your house. To arrange for collection of bulk items call 01422 392304.
You can also donate your old furniture to one of the following organisations -
The Ozanam Project - Collects furniture items such as beds, tables and chairs free of charge to distribute to people in Calderdale on a referral basis. Telephone 01422 322885 for more information.
Sitting Comfortably – Collects furniture for re-sale back to those in need throughout Calderdale. Telephone 01274 731909
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Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Many everyday consumer items now contain electronic parts. Every year an estimated one million tonnes of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) are discarded by householders and commercial groups in the UK. Dealing with this waste is an important issue as rapid technological changes mean that our electronic appliances tend to go out of date more quickly. Getting the latest model makes many items that are still in working order redundant.
The complex array of product types and materials make waste electrical and electronic equipment difficult to manage.
The main component of waste electronic and electrical equipment is large household appliances known as white goods, which make up 43% of the total. The next largest component is I.T. equipment which accounts for 39%. Much of this is made up of computers, which rapidly become obsolete. Televisions also represent a large proportion, with an estimated 2 million TV sets being discarded each year.
Reusing and recycling is one way to reduce the environmental impact that these products have.
Where can I recycle my electrical equipment?
In Calderdale, the best way to deal with old electrical goods is to consider:
- Reuse: pass them on to someone else who could use them if they are still in good working order. Do not donate to charity shops, as they cannot accept them for health and safety reasons.
- Refurbishment: hand them on to a company who can refurbish them
- Recycling: Rather than put them in the bin, take them to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre where they can be added to other scrap for recycling. If you have bulky items to recycle contact your council to arrange collection. There may be a charge for this service.
The Ozanam Project - Collects unwanted quality goods free of charge and will accept white goods. Call them on 01422 322885 (leave a message if there's no answer and they'll call you back).
DOT-COMmunications collect unwanted IT equipment for repair, refurbishment and redistribution at cost to local not-for-profit organisations as part of the Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher scheme. Older, damaged or below minimum specification hardware is recycled in-house to above WEEE specifications. (All data is securely wiped to above MoD standard and any materials, which cannot be reused, are properly recycled). To find out more visit
www.dot-communications.co.uk
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Paint
- It is estimated that around 25% of domestic paint purchased goes unused.
- The disposal of paint is extremely difficult as paint and its containers have several environmental impacts.
- Paint which is over 20 years old may contain hazardous substances that would now be treated as 'special waste'.
- Paint can't be put into landfill, incinerators or drains due to the high chemical content that will cause pollution.
- Paint is better 'disposed' of by re-using it. This can either be in your own home, sharing it with a neighbour, or the containers with remaining paint can be re-used by a community repaint scheme.
How can I re-use my paint?
Community re-paint is a network of paint re-use schemes across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the scheme is to collect left over re-usable paint from householders, and re-distribute it to those who need paint but cannot afford it.
The following list is a guideline of what criteria are in place for this scheme:
- Paint tins must be at least one third full.
- Paint must be less than 10 years old.
- Paint must be in its original container and be suitable for domestic use.
For more information visit the community repaint website at :
www.communityrepaint.org.uk
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