Free recycling services
Aside from the local authorities in the UK who offer “free recycling services” paid for by the taxpayer, we have seen an explosion in the number of recycling companies offering free recycling services. These companies offer free pick-ups for anything from clothes to washing machines, from garden waste to old timber and anything else that you can think of. However, the recession has seen a number of companies cut back on both business and domestic collections because of the price which recycled goods are bringing in the marketplace.
It will come as no surprise to learn that the recession, while prompting a large increase in recycling rates, has actually seen less physical goods recycled purely and simply because people cannot afford to buy as much as they could before the recession. There has also been a significant fall in demand for recycled products, both in the UK and around the world, which had in the past subsidised the cost of “free recycling services”. So what next?
There is a feeling that either recycling companies will start to charge small fees for the collection of recyclable goods or they will pick up your recyclable waste on a less frequent basis. However, this will not last forever because ultimately there is a cost saving and a value associated with recycled items, whether this be washing machines, fridges, electrical equipment or clothing, etc, and prices should start to rise as the recession comes to an end.
Written in association with business recycling services.
