There comes a time when your old plastic outdoor furniture has got to go. Whether it is beginning to show the signs of wear and tear, or perhaps you’re looking to replace your old set with the latest collection of outdoor furniture on the market.
Any matter, the question becomes: how do you dispose of old plastic lawn chairs and patio furniture?
Plastic furniture disposal, in particular, appears straightforward. Plastic is plastic, right? Wrong. While it’s tempting to leave old stackable chairs and tables kerbside next to your plastics recycling bin, the reality is that unless your local rubbish collector accepts bulk-waste pickup, they won’t pick it up. As such, you’ll need to consider the other disposal options available to you.
Depending on the state and condition of your old lawn chairs and patio furniture, various disposal options are on offer. Ridly are Sydney’s leading provider of waste disposal and recycling services. With our finger on the pulse of the latest sustainability practices, our waste disposal services evolve to keep as much material out of landfills as possible and encourage options to recycle, repurpose, and support the environment and local communities.
In this article, we have developed a comprehensive guide on what to do with old plastic lawn chairs and outdoor furniture, how to dispose of them properly and other recycling and repurposing options for your outdoor settings.
How to Get Rid of Old Patio Furniture: Your Options for Disposal
Disposing of old plastic furniture is not as cut and dried as one might think. In 2021, we should always be considering how we can get rid of old furniture, in a more sustainable or responsible way than merely taking it to the tip. It is always best to repurpose and reuse your old products when possible. So, what are the options?
1. Repurpose Your Old Patio Furniture
Before you doom your pieces to landfill, consider how you can repurpose and bring new life to your outdoor furniture. There are endless ways to upcycle your old plastic lawn chairs, deck chairs and outdoor tables. While some items may be damaged beyond repurposing, where there’s a glimmer of hope, give your pieces a refresh with a thorough clean, a lick of colourful paint, or even get creative and repurpose your items into something new. If you’re looking for inspiration on ways to repurpose old outdoor furniture, head to Pinterest!
2. Re-use Your Old Outdoor Furniture
So, your old plastic patio furniture remains in good working condition and still structurally sound. If you’re wondering what to do with old plastic lawn chairs, consider giving your furniture a second life with another household. Enlist your items on online community marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or Freecycle. Such online marketplaces have a magnitude of good quality, second-hand outdoor furniture sets on offer, meaning they are great options for positively contributing to the upcycle market and replacing your old furniture and without breaking the bank.
3. Donate Your Old Patio Furniture
If your furniture is in good condition but re-selling your old goods on an online marketplace is not the right option for you, donate your items to friends, family or a local charity collection point such as Vinnies and Lifeline Shops. Furniture collection points are available across Sydney and are a simple solution to ‘what to do with old plastic lawn chairs.’
Before you hop in the car, check the second-hand outdoor furniture donation regulations to ensure your items are compatible.
4. Council Kerbside Collection
Many local councils will offer free collection or drop-off services during the year for bulky items such as your plastic stackable chairs, your outdoor furniture, white goods, mattresses, and household furniture. Certain councils offer additional collection options if you require the disposal of more oversized items outside of your scheduled removal services. Contact your council directly or ask your landlord, building manager, or caretaker for further information.
Council kerbside collections are free services that typically operate on a biannual basis. While this service is free of charge, there is often a limit on the number of bulky items you can dispose of (typically limited to 2 or 3 square metres). The availability of the service and pick up times are dependent on demand and the council services offered to your area. Check the terms and conditions for your local council area to ensure the process runs as smooth as possible.
It is important to note that kerbside collections often end up in landfills. If your items are still in decent condition, consider the other disposal and repurposing options listed above before reverting to kerbside collections.
For faster, hassle-free removal on your terms, contact the Ridly team on 0491 181 130. Sustainability is front of mind with every disposal service we perform, so you can rest assured knowing we divert as much waste from landfills as possible for a greener, healthier future.
5. Recycle Your Old Outdoor Furniture
Sometimes, unfortunately, furniture is too far gone to salvage. When breakages and damage are too severe and your items are beyond repair, it’s time to consider which items can and can’t be recycled.
Plastic is widely considered one of the most pressing environmental issues. However, proper recycling efforts have become quite skilled at evading landfills. When efficient garbage collection systems are in place, plastic furniture made from reconstituted recycled materials uses fewer resources while supporting the market for upcycled supplies. But not all plastic is the same. Determining which plastic furniture is recyclable and not is key to proper waste disposal. Here are the main materials you need to consider:
1. Polypropylene
Polypropylene is one of the most popular plastic packaging materials worldwide and is commonly used to create plastic patio furniture like stackable patio chairs. When appropriately recycled, polypropylene has the potential to be a sustainable product. When repurposed suitably, it can be used in various applications, including rope, automotive components and reusable containers.
To find out whether your furniture is made from polypropylene material or not, look for the resin identification code 5 on the underside of the product. A resin identification code of 5 indicates that the product is recyclable. However, due to the chairs’ shape and size, they may not necessarily be suitable for kerbside recycling. You will need to contact your local waste collector and check relevant regulations.
2. Polyethylene
Another common material used to make plastic patio furniture is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) – a versatile ingredient commonly found in everyday household packaging, including detergents, milk jugs, shampoo and conditioner bottles. HDPE has a resin identification code of 2.
Smaller polyethylene HDPE products can conveniently be thrown out with your yellow or blue-lidded recyclable bin. However, your bulkier outdoor HDPE furniture pieces are often not recyclable. This is because smaller HDPE products have already undergone a process of downcycling to create larger household items such as bins and outdoor furniture pieces. In other words, they have already been recycled, so they can’t be recycled again. For this reason, when you’re next shopping for outdoor furniture, avoid HDPE products.
If you want to get rid of outdoor furniture made from HDPE, consider our options listed above before discarding it to landfills. Try giving it a new purpose in your home or giving it a fresh coat of paint. HDPE is known for its longevity and durability. With some TLC, they can last a lifetime.
Professional Removal Services for Your Old Plastic Furniture
Environmental sustainability has become the focus in today’s world, and we all want to play a part in achieving a cleaner future. However, as our lives become increasingly busier and busier, it’s no wonder proper waste disposal becomes sidelined for convenience. So, when you’re looking to dispose of bulky plastic furniture, enlist the help of the professionals at Ridly.
The Ridlyy team firmly believe that knowing how to dispose of different rubbish items properly, like what to do with old plastic lawn chairs and other outdoor furniture, is the key to sustainability. We are passionate about our line of work and moving towards a cleaner future through safe, responsible rubbish removal and disposal. When you engage our services, you can rest assured knowing we do our part for the planet, contributing to the circular economy by diverting as much waste from landfills as possible. When plastics are recycled and dealt with properly, they can be a sustainable material. Ridly, take the guesswork out of plastic furniture disposal.
Ridly are equipped to handle all your requirements for different types of rubbish, with purpose-built vehicles designed to transport everything from garage clean-ups to commercial rubbish removal. Bulky items like outdoor furniture can be heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, off-putting and difficult to attempt on your own. Let the Ridly team do the heaving lifting for you!
Getting rid of your plastic backyard patio furniture has never been easier with our recycling services. Get in touch with our friendly team for customised solutions at cost-effective prices. Enquire online for a free, no-obligation quote, or give us a call on 0491 181 130.