5 things you should never throw away - and how they can earn you cash
Britain currently recycles 44% of its household waste, far behind countries like Germany and South Korea where rates hit 60-70%. With World Recycling Week kicking off today, the spotlight is on everything we throw away and how much of this can be reused, recycled or even sold for cash.
Experts at Buff Removals, the Bristol-based removals and waste-clearance company, say that many households don’t realise how many valuable items are going to landfill unnecessarily.
Many common household items, such as old electronics, furniture, clothing and toys, are often thrown into tips despite being easy to recycle, donate or sell. Batteries are one of the most hazardous household waste, yet more than 20,000 tonnes of batteries are sent to UK landfill each year, resulting in water pollution, soil degradation and even fires!
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Ethan Jury, Co-founder of Buff Removals, says that throwing away valuable items costs more than people realise:
“World Recycle Week is a great reminder that so much of what we throw away ends up in landfills unnecessarily, damaging our planet. Not to mention my brother and I see tonnes of perfectly usable furniture, electronics, toys, and more go to waste when they could be resold. By changing our mindset on rubbish, households can help fight environmental damage as well as earn a bit of extra cash.”
Buff Removals’ top five items you should never throw away:
Electronics
Old phones, laptops, and other gadgets are often discarded when they are still functional. Even completely broken devices can usually be traded in or sold. When electronics are sent to dumps, they can release toxic chemicals like mercury into the soil and water, causing environmental damage. Recycling at specialist e-waste centres or selling to other people keeps harmful materials away from landfill, reducing pollution, and can even put a little extra cash in your pocket.
Clothing
Fast fashion is a growing problem in the UK; approximately 350,000 tonnes of clothing waste are sent to landfills each year, even though most of it is wearable or recyclable. Even used textiles can be recycled into rags, insulation, or other materials rather than being thrown away. Choosing to donate or recycle unwanted clothes to charity shops or shelters helps people in real need, whilst protecting the environment.
Batteries
Batteries are one of the most damaging household waste items to the environment. When they end up in landfill, they leak toxic chemicals into the soil and water, polluting our planet and harming wildlife. Yet more than 20,000 tonnes of batteries are dumped in UK landfills each year. Instead of just binning them, take them to supermarkets or your local waste centre where they’re recycled for free. Minimal effort, massive impact.
Furniture
Old furniture is one of the easiest things to give a second life. Instead of sending it to waste, you can resell it very quickly online on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, donate it to charity shops, or repurpose it at home. Even if the furniture is damaged or broken, it can often be stripped for materials like metal, wood or fabrics. This gives your old furniture a fresh start rather than a one-way trip to the tip.
Toys
Children grow up fast, and they outgrow their toys faster, but it doesn't mean they belong in the bin. You don’t have to look far when donating toys, places like charity shops, hospitals, and schools take them with open arms. It’s a brilliant way to give your toys a new life to a family who may never be able to afford them new.
Buff Removals urges households to think before throwing items away this World Recycle Week, and give valuable items a second life.
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