Residents disposing of items such as sofas, upholstered chairs and beanbags are urged to be aware of new guidelines which limit where these items can be taken in Calderdale.
New legislation for the storage and disposal of upholstered seating requires these items to be disposed of in a separate container at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), to ensure the chemical substances they contain can be managed responsibly. Calderdale Council is now only able to accept these items at Halifax, Brighouse and Todmorden HWRCs.
Waste upholstered seating may contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). POPs are certain chemical substances that stay intact and do not break down. If waste containing POPs is not managed responsibly, it could cause damage to the wider environment.
Waste upholstered seating includes:
- Sofas, sofa beds and armchairs
- Upholstered kitchen and dining room chairs
- Home office chairs
- Stools and footstools
- Bean bags, floor or sofa cushions
- Futons
Separate skips for these items are available at Halifax, Brighouse and Todmorden HWRCs. This type of waste can no longer be accepted at Sowerby Bridge or Elland HWRCs, as there is not enough space for an extra skip.
This does not affect bulky waste collections, as the way this is collected complies with the legislation.
Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods, Andrew Pitts, said:
“As the weather improves and many of us may be looking to have a spring clear out, we want to ensure that people know how to dispose of items such as sofas or other upholstered furniture.
“Following the introduction of additional national restrictions around disposing of these items, we’ve installed new skips at our sites in Halifax, Brighouse and Todmorden. Unfortunately, we’re now unable to accept these items at our Elland and Sowerby Bridge, due to a lack of space.
“Remember, good quality furniture items can be donated at any HWRC site for reuse at our Revive store in Brighouse, although stuffed furniture must be undamaged and have fire labels attached. The Revive store gives unwanted items a new lease of life and reduces the number of items going to waste. Find out more about the items which can be accepted, on our website https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/waste/waste-and-recycling-locations/brighouse-hwrc#revive.”
For further information on the new legislation around waste upholstered items, visit https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/waste/hwrc/waste-upholstered-domestic-seating or https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-waste-upholstered-domestic-seating-containing-pops(external link) ENDS