A Free Guide to Junk Removal and Bulky Waste Collection

How do I get started? 

So, picture the scene, you have got a heap of junk piled up in your living room that could rival the Great Wall China! You have tried to ignore it, but the clutter has become a constant reminder of your questionable life choices, it is time to call in the big guns - a junk removal service! BUT, how does one embark on such a perilous quest?

First, you may need to grab your trusted magnifying glass and put on your detective hat, ready to start the journey of finding the perfect waste removal company. You start by whispering 'Waste removal company, where art thou?'

When that doesn't work (surprise,surprise) you resort to the next logical step: a high-speed internet connection and a trust search engine. We start as we always start! Google is your friend!

As always once you type in 'waste removal company near me' hoping for a superhero, you often get greeted with an overwhelming list of options, like a buffet of collection services, you navigate through the maze of websites, trying to decipher their offers whilst fending off pop up ads like a gladiator in the digital arena. 

Now time to find the one for you, do they have good reviews, do they have a waste collection licence? This is your time to channel your inner Paxman, nothing gets past you! Will they conquer the chaos in your living room? or will they simply not turn up? Only time will tell, dear junk embattled friend, but as you sit amongst the chaos, you can't help but chuckle at this quest for a waste removal company.

Who knew that ridding your life of junk could be such an adventure?

We always recommend making sure that you type in the exact service that you wanting! For example: Bury Rubbish Collection or rubbish removal London, this means that you can start to narrow down your options and select one that you feels offer the best service for yourself.

How can I save money when getting bulky items collected? 

How much does it cost and how do I pay for the collection? 

With Junk Removal, the cost will all depend on the items that you are getting collected, most junk removal companies, should have a list of items that they can and cannot collect and the price range of these. If you have multiple items that you need collecting, the rubbish removal company may ask you to send over some photos of the waste that needs collecting. 

This is so that they can look to give you the most accurate quote. 

When should I use a Man and Van for waste removal? 

A man and van doesn't just come in handy for getting your unwanted items removed, oh no, this service is ideal for so much more...

• Moving House: Moving house can be so stressful, so using a man and van service can be a great way to remove the stress of it all.
• Spring Cleaning: Once the duster comes out and the sun is shining, this can be a super easy way of getting back on top of your clutter.
• Garage or Cellar clean-out: When you finally decided to tackle the abyss that is your garage, you could use this.
• Renovations or re-modelling: This could be needed for the keenest of builders and renovators, an efficient way of getting rid of construction debris, rubble or old materials.
• Office or Business relocation: New office, new start! Old desks and Chairs and excessive inventory can be whisked away.
• Garden waste removal: Backbreaking work, but once you have honed your inner Titchmarsh, and if you don't want your garden bin being full for another 2/3 weeks, this is a great time to use the service.
• Events or Festivals: This can be used for anything such as: managing the waste generated during the event, as we all know the bins get full within 1 hour of being there!
• Time and Convenience: The most precious of all the reasons. When you simply want to save time, effort and hassle, you can hire a professional (such as us) to swiftly and efficiently handle your waste!

Main Disposal Options Available. 

Retailer Buy Back: Most retailers offer this service these days. This basically means that say if you are buying a new washing machine, when the retailer comes to deliver, they will offer a service where they will remove the old washing machine for you and take it away for refurbishment, recycling etc. You may have to pay a small fee for this.

Council Collection: Does what it says on the tin! You can request bulky item collections from the council, but, they are never in a rush. It can take up to 4 weeks for the council to come and pick up the junk that you want to get rid of and you will also be charged for this.

Local Waste Collection Company: Just like us! Busy Bins. We are a local waste collection company that provides a number of services to help out our local people! 

Skip Hire: Again a simple one, this is where the Skip company drop off a skip on your property or outside your house for a certain period of time and once time is up or you let them know it is full, the company will come and pickup the skip to empty and return to their base.

Hippo Bag: Hippo Bags come in three sizes: Midi bag (Can fit a Dishwasher), a Mega bag (Can fit a Tall Fridge or Bath) and the Hippo skip bag (Bathroom or small kitchen).  

Household Recycling Centre: Think of this like your local tip. You can take a variety of items down and they will then be processed and recycled by your local council. This is only open to households and not for any businesses or companies.

Reusers / Charity Collection or Donation: Sites like Freecycle: Donating any unwanted items to charity shops is a good way of recycling, or you can use websites like Freecycle to give away to someone in need.

Types of Junk Collection Vehicle. 

Within any waste removal service, you will find a variety of vehicles that may come to collect your rubbish. These are:

Luton Van - The Luton vehicle has a large solid side box (often made out of fibreglass to keep it light) at the back which extends over the cab. This type of van provides lots of storage space and is most often used by a rubbish clearance company when people move homes. The volume of a Luton van can vary.

Caged Tipper -  The most popular vehicle for bulky waste, a box or caged tipper has a solid or mesh box at the back to contain the waste and has a tipper mechanism to pour out the contents when the van goes to the tip. This helps minimise the time the crew needs to spend offloading waste.  The reason why the box is often a metal cage rather than a solid side is too keep weight to a minimum and maximise the amount that can be held.

Transit - Van rubbish removal is often done with a transit van. These are popular with delivery companies and tradespeople as they are cheap, compact and easy to drive. They don’t have a tipping mechanism so take longer to empty than a tipper but the sides are made of metal, so they are more robust than a Luton.  

Skip Hire Wagon - Simple, effective. These have chains dangling on the back of the truck so that they can connect to a skip, lock in place and then use the chains to lift the skip on and off the wagon, this is why the importance of level loads are always stressed by junk removal companies, as if the load isn't level, when loaded onto the back of the skip hire wagon, it could quite easily tip the wagon over, which could cause injury.

Grab Wagon - This is a large lorry that has a space at the back to carry materiasl. Grab wagons also have a large hydraulic arm which can be used to reach out and grab. Think of it as a big bucket and spade! These are ideal for collecting a large rubbish clearance service such as construction materials, these can also be ideal for large garden waste, or building renovation projects.

What to look out for when Choosing a Waste Collector? 

We get how hard it can be to choose the right waste collector for your home or business, so, hopefully, if you ask yourself these questions when choosing, this can help narrow down your options so that you find the perfect service for yourself or your business when having a clear-out:

Do they have a Waste Carriers License?

Do they have a professional Website?

Do they provide the clearance service that you need?

Do the employees all have a Uniform?

Do the vehicles have Business Advertising on?

How many years in Business do they have under their belt? 

Reviews?

Friend or Other Business Recommendations?

Some others great questions to ask yourself to help you choose are:

Does the company come and remove the junk in-house or do they broker/ sub-contract the collections out? 

How quickly do they respond to your initial enquiry? 

Do they collect the types of rubbish that you have?

What junk/bulky items can't be collected? 

You may think that all bulky items can be collected, but oh no no no, you think wrong!

You see, my friend, when it comes to bulky waste, there are limits to what can be removed. 

An old Mattress, Fridge, Sofa, Cupboard, Table, Lamp, Microwave, Cooker and any other kitchen appliance are all fine to be collected.

However, items such as: Sunbeds, Hot Tubs, Pianos, BBQs are frowned upon by the removal team. Hazardous materials also can't be collected.

When booking your waste clearance service, if you can't see it on the website when you go to book online, always make sure to get in contact with the licensed waste company to see if it is something that they would be happy to take, otherwise they may turn up and refuse to collect, and nobody wants this!

What happens to your waste? 

Once junk waste is collected in the UK, it undergoes a carefully managed process to ensure proper waste disposal and minimise the impact on the environment. Here is what happens to your junk once collected: 

1. Collection - Waste companies or local authorities collect the junk waste from households, businesses or designated collection points.
2. Sorting - Once collected the bulky junk waste will be returned to the waste companies facility to be sorted, this is where they will go through all the bulky waste to separate items such as: Electronics, Fridges, wood items such as desks, old furniture, mattresses, sofa etc. For instance, Metals can be melted down or wood may be chipped and repurposed as composite boards if applicable. 
3. Recycling - As above, this goes hand in hand with the sorting. Whatever recyclable materials that can be recycled will be and non-recyclable items will be disposed of accordingly. Depending on the waste type, these items may be sent to landfill or a waste to energy plant. 

Overall, the bulky junk waste in the UK involves a combination of recycling, recovery and disposal methods. By following these processes, all waste clearance companies can try to minimise their environmental impact of waste while maximising the potential for material recovery.

So rest assured, that we at Busy Bins, make sure that your waste is handled with care and consideration on its path to a more sustainable future.

FAQ's 

Time for some frequently asked questions! We know you love this bit. 

What is considered junk waste for removal purposes?

Junk waste typically includes old furniture, appliances, electronics and general household clutter.

How do I schedule a junk waste collection in my area?

You can book online with us at www.busybins.co.uk or contact us on 0161 766 3330.

Are there any restrictions on the types of waste that can be collected?

Hot tubs, Sun Beds, Pianos, Hazardous materials such as Asbestos etc and medical waste will not be collected.

Do I need to be in my home or business when the waste is picked up?

Short answer...No! You will inform the waste removal and recycling company of where the waste is and this will be collected from this spot. As long as this is in an accessible area.

Are there any specific guidelines for sorting my junk waste before collection?

We would advise checking with your local company for any guidelines that they may have.

What happens to my junk once it has been picked up?

After collection, your junk is usually sorted, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Can hazardous material or chemicals be included in the junk waste?

They CANNOT be included in the junk waste as they require very specific disposal methods.

How much does it typically cost?

This all depends on the amount of items being collected and the type of items. I.E: Small or Big, Heavy or Light items.

Are there any size or weight restrictions?

Some waste recycling services may have a size or weight restrictions, again we suggest it is best to speak with whoever it is you use.

Is there a limit to the amount of junk waste that can be collected at once?

Again, this all depends on how much is needed to be collected at once, if it is a very large amount, the company may suggest collecting over days or weeks.