If you are planning to get rid of a piece of old furniture or household appliance, please consider talking to your nearest Furniture Reuse scheme before taking it to be recycled or sent to landfill.
You can find your nearest Furniture Reuse Project at our Sort It website.
What happens to my furniture?
There are some slight differences between projects but in general….
- The furniture or appliance is taken to a central warehouse where it is checked to make sure that it is suitable for reuse. Some projects can perform basic repairs. Projects that accept household appliances will usually carry out an electrical safety inspection.
- The furniture is distributed to people on low incomes through local housing associations, council re-homing teams or other charitable organisations. Some projects also sell furniture and appliances directly to members of the public.
Health and Safety Regulations
Some items of furniture and appliances cannot be reused by Furniture Reuse Projects because the items do not conform to the latest Fire or Health and Safety Regulations.
Some key things to look for are:
- Fire tags attached to sofas and armchairs which refer to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988
- Blue framed labels sewn into the end wall of mattresses referring to BS7177
Not all Furniture Reuse Projects can accept electrical items as they need to be checked by a qualified electrician. If you are unsure, the best thing to do is to ring your local Furniture Reuse Project before making a donation.
You can find your nearest Furniture Reuse Project at our Sort It website.
