News, images and statistics beat our faces in all the time of the impact our trash has on our waste infrastructure, the environment and the land around us. Consumers at times feel waste guilt, and to some degree rightfully so. However, did you know there are a lot of items that can be recycled that would help dramatically reduce your personal contribution to the growing waste issues faced here in Utah?  When choosing a Junk Removal company, ask if they have the infrastructure to recycle the following:

1.) Couches and Mattresses

Believe it or not, your worn-out couch or mattress can actually be completely recycled. Companies in Utah can accept (at a price) to break down and recycle most foam based furniture. Foam based furniture meaning couches, mattresses, offices chairs, you name it.  If it has a foam material in it, metal and or wood it has recycling properties that specialized companies are able to have properly broken down and recycled.  These recycling companies aren’t usually open to the public and require accounts and agreements set up with companies to accept.  If you’re thinking of hiring a junk removal company, make sure you ask if they have an agreement (and if you’re super thorough, ask them to show proof) with a furniture recycler who is not the DI or another thrift store.  Second hand thrift stores are turning down 80% of couches due to high volume and are telling almost all junk removal companies to just landfill them.  Mattresses aren’t accepted at all by them.  If effort if made by more residents to have their furniture recycled, its estimated that around 3,000,000 lbs of waste could be diverted annually in Utah.

2.) Styrofoam

Your styrofoam comes often in bulky consumer packaging.  Styrofoam is cheap and easy to mold around products so its often packagers go-to for shipping. Did you know there are several types of styrofoam? All is technically recyclable one way or another, but your packaging styrofoam is especially recyclable. Several companies around Salt Lake allow public drop off, but drop off can be a little inconvenient as their times typically change and are contingent on demand.  Agreements can be secured between junk removal companies and styrofoam recyclers to ensure styrofoam gets recycled by properly.  Chuck It Junk Removal is neighbors with its Styrofoam recycler and has had a relationship with them through various joint nonprofit efforts both companies serve on.  Chuck It Junk Removal is able to have styrofoam properly recycled.