Disposing of upholstered furniture 

Disposing of upholstered furniture 

There have been changes to the way in which the disposal of upholstered furniture is managed. This is due to guidance about Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). 

POPs are organic chemical substances which pose a risk to the environment if not managed correctly. 

 

What is upholstered furniture?

Upholstered furniture includes:

  • settees, sofas, sofa beds
  • armchairs, including electric reclining chairs
  • home office chairs, upholstered kitchen and dining chairs
  • futons  
  • upholstered stools
  • beanbags
  • floor and sofa cushions

 

Upholstered furniture cannot be disposed of in bins or with any regular kerbside collections and should be kept separate from all other waste. 

 

Items of upholstered furniture may be disposed of as follows:

If an item is in good condition and still usable, you may consider donating it to charities in the area.

Some retailers offer a take back scheme, contact them to find out.

 

Household Waste Recycling Centres

Upholstered furniture waste must be kept separate from other types of waste.

There are dedicated skips at Pottery Street and Craigmuschat Recycling Centres for the disposal of these items.

When disposing of upholstered furniture at our Recycling Centres, where possible please keep the item in one piece. Securely cover and wrap any ripped, torn or exposed areas to reduce the risk of potential pollutants entering the environment.

Please place upholstered furniture in the appropriate collection skip.

If you require advice, please speak to one of our attendants.

 

Bulky waste collection

The Council operates an appointment system for the uplift of bulky household items such as furniture, mattresses, carpets, white goods etc.

Please note there is a charge for the uplift of bulky waste. 

Upholstered furniture that is damaged, ripped or torn, should be completely covered when presented at the kerbside for bulky waste collection. Use (non-returnable) plastic sheeting.

Please follow the link for details of the bulk uplift service.  

 

Dealing with waste upholstered furniture

Waste will be sent for Energy Recovery in line with legislative guidance.

Any waste containing POPs will be safely incinerated to generate energy. This ensures any harmful chemicals are destroyed, or irreversibly transformed, and cannot be released into the wider environment.