Reuse or Recycle Bulky Items

10 million items of furniture are thrown away in the UK every year. 3 million of these items could be easily re-used; more could be repaired. Re-using any item saves the energy and resources associated with manufacturing a new one, having an enormous positive impact on reducing CO2 emissions.

Before getting rid of unwanted furniture try;

• Selling it in a local newspaper or online marketplace.
• Asking friends and family if they have a use for your sofa or spare bed.
• Donating your furniture to a charity shop or local community project such as the South Bucks Hospice .
• Using national networks such as Freegle , Freecycle or the Furniture Re-use Network .

Contact your local reuse group
Christian Sharing - 01753 887 173
Freegle Chiltern or Slough – www.ilovefreegle.org
High Wycombe central Aid Society - 01494 443 459
Slough Furniture Project - 01753 692 535
South Bucks Hospice – 01494 533 099
Thames Valley Hospice - 01753 866 303


Electrical Items and White Goods- unwanted electricals and electronics such as fridge freezers, TV’s, curling irons, kitchen appliances etc can be recycled and contain really valuable raw materials. For example, one iron contains enough steel to produce 13 steel cans.

Items that are still in working order can be reused through the organisations above or others such as the British Heart Foundation. The Royal Mail have a recycling campaign called ‘Simply Drop’ for very small electricals such as cameras, mobile phones and MP3 players, find out more at Simply Drop.

For unusable items, wooden furniture and all household waste electrical items can be recycled at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. A permit scheme is in place for residents wishing to deposit waste using mini buses, vans, pick ups, large trailers or on foot. The permit scheme is managed by Buckinghamshire County Council, please call 01296 387828 or visit their website at www.buckscc.gov.uk.