Renovation Waste Disposal: 6 Ways to Safely Do It

When you’re undergoing renovations, things can get messy. There’s dust, dirt, old tiles, torn-out cupboards, pieces of drywall, and so much more that needs to be dealt with. If it’s your first renovation or a new renovation that you hope goes differently than your last experience, it can be hard to know what to do with all the remnants from your renovation. You want to be responsible but also want some convenience in this chaotic process and maybe even an option that isn’t going to cost you an insane amount. Most importantly, you want to waste to be disposed of safely and cleanly. The following will explore a few elements of safe and healthy waste disposal. The focus will be on renovation waste, but this information can be extrapolated and applied to other waste removal scenarios.

Batteries And Cell Phones

Batteries and cell phones should not be treated as standard waste. Disposing of batteries and devices with batteries like cell phones and laptops contains chemicals and metals that react together to create electrical energy. These chemicals can be harmful to the environment. It’s a good idea to take all your batteries and objects containing batteries that you want to throw out and keep them separate from the rest of your trash. There are facilities specifically for battery removal. As well, if you’re working with waste removal professionals, they might still take these items, but keeping them separate will allow these professionals to dispose of them properly.

To The Curb

According to local regulations, you’re likely familiar with leaving some garbage out on the curb weekly or biweekly. While this is an excellent waste removal system, it does not offer much help regarding large or heavy items or excessive amounts of garbage that exceed bag limits. If your renovations are particularly small, this might not pose a problem, but for the average renovation, you can’t expect to leave your trash out on the curb. You need to understand that garbage removal professionals who pick up curb garbage are trained to handle specific materials of certain weights in certain packaging. Breaking the rules puts employees in a challenging position and can result in injury or harm.

Waste Removal Bins

You’ve probably seen giant bins outside homes under renovation before. This process is straightforward and can help with large amounts of waste and heavy and oddly-sized items. You book a giant bin to be delivered to the renovation location (you will need to leave open parking space for this purpose). Then you fill the container with whatever waste you have within the company’s guidelines. They’ll come and pick it up and dispose of its contents for you. In addition to this being one of the ways to get rid of the biggest amount of waste, the team at bbins.com.au points out that this option can produce the least financial surprises as in many cases you should be able to get a flat rate for whichever bin you choose. Of course, if some of the waste is too heavy for you to move into the container yourself, you’ll need to work out an arrangement either with your removal bin company or with hired help.

Donation

Just because you’re getting rid of something doesn’t mean it’s garbage. There are often people who could benefit from what you’re throwing away. Offering building materials, old appliances, and other items to charity shops can not only help low-income families get what they need, but the profits often also go to support your local community. Habitat for Humanity has to restore outlets that will take bigger items like windows, doors, large furniture, cabinets, and other valuable items; there might also be local non-brand charity shops that provide similar services in your area. This is also an excellent option for your leftover building materials after the renovation. If you’re unable to deliver an item yourself, call the donation location you’re interested in and see if they can help you arrange a pickup. Not all locations allow for this, but many do.

Metal Scrap

Metals are valuable, which means that people are willing to pay for them. If you have metal garbage, you can put it aside and deliver it to a site that accepts metal scrap. You can often get paid for this, which doesn’t hurt, especially when you’re undergoing the expenses of renovations. Be careful when transporting metal objects as rust and cuts are possible, as metals can be sharp. You might also find that some scrap metal flippers will come and pick up the metal for you. Often this pickup is done for free, and the person picking it up will then accept the payment from the metal scrap locations.

Air Filtration

While the above information refers to the removal of visible waste, another very important element of waste removal needs to be addressed. Yes, you’ve likely ventilated your space, but often this isn’t enough. Volatile organic compounds are still floating around in the air and can cause health problems for you and your household. Consider a portable air filter, especially if you’ve been painting, varnishing, or small particles like sawdust in the air. This is particularly important if anyone in your home has allergies or asthma.

Keep your home ventilated long after recommendations suggest you do and consider getting more plants into your home as houseplants can clear the air of toxins. Further, pay attention to your own body. Note any headaches, congestion, and unpleasant smells. Bad smells are your body’s way of telling you that you’re breathing in something wrong for you. Don’t simply cover the scent with cleaning products, sprays, candles, or incense. Address the root cause of the smells and eradicate them. 

The above information should have outlined how to deal with common waste elements during a renovation. Be sure that whatever waste removal methods you select, you research thoroughly. Different countries and companies have regulations about what materials they accept and do not accept.