· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Junk Removal
Most household waste is straightforward. Three items are not, and they account for a disproportionate share of what people call a removal company about. Each is restricted for its own reason, and knowing which reason changes what your options are.
Refrigerators and anything with a compressor
Refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioning units and dehumidifiers contain refrigerant, and federal rules require it to be recovered by a certified technician before the appliance is scrapped rather than vented to atmosphere. That is why they cannot simply go in a dumpster.
A legitimate removal company either recovers the refrigerant or delivers the unit to a facility that does, and the documentation exists. Older units may also contain oils and, in some cases, mercury switches. The cost difference between a proper appliance disposal and general junk is this process rather than the weight.
Mattresses, which are a bulk and pest problem
Mattresses are largely recyclable, being steel, foam, fiber and wood, and they are also awkward, bulky and a bed bug transmission risk. Many facilities restrict them, and some collection services require them to be bagged and sealed before they are taken.
Bag it before it leaves the bedroom, not at the curb. Dragging an unwrapped mattress through the house and out to the street is exactly the movement that distributes anything living in it, and a mattress bag is inexpensive. If bed bugs are suspected, say so when booking, because it changes how it should be handled.
- Bag a mattress in the room, before moving it
- Never vent refrigerant or cut lines on an appliance yourself
- Remove doors from an abandoned refrigerator immediately
- Televisions and monitors go to electronics recycling
- Ask a removal company where items actually go
Televisions and electronics
Older cathode ray tube televisions and monitors contain a significant amount of leaded glass, and flat panels contain their own mix of materials including, in older backlit units, mercury lamps. Both are handled as electronic waste rather than as household trash.
Electronics recycling is generally available through collection events and permanent drop-off points, and it is normally the cheapest route for a household getting rid of one or two items. A removal company is charging for the collection and the handling rather than for access to something you could not otherwise use.
What actually saves money
Sorting before booking. A single load containing a fridge, a mattress and general household clutter is quoted as the hardest item in it. Taking the electronics to a drop-off yourself and having the removal company handle the bulk is frequently cheaper than one mixed load.
Retailer takeback is the other one people forget. Buying a new appliance or mattress usually comes with the option of removing the old one on delivery, often free or for a modest fee, and it is the simplest disposal route available. It has to be arranged at the point of purchase rather than afterwards.