Everything you need to know about recycling office furniture
Recycling Office Furniture includes:
Office chairs
Office desks
Ergonomic chairs
Executive chairs
Pedestal desks
Boardroom tables
Office tables
Executive desks
Conference tables
Reception chairs
Cubicles
Workstations
Filing cabinets
Office corner desk
FIND A RECYCLER
Learn more about recycling office furniture
How to recycle office furniture
Office can be reused, refurbished or recycled through specialised services. Here some options:
- Some commercial recyclers will accept office furniture. Use the directory on this page to find a recycling service near you.
- Many office furniture retailers and office liquidators will collect or buy used office furniture for refurbishing and resale.
- Some furniture suppliers offer a collection and recycling service for the furniture at the end of its lifetime (this may incur a fee).
- Some charitable organisations such as GreenChair and opportunity shops will also accept and/or collect unwanted office furniture.
Why recycle?
Most furniture is resource-intensive to produce, and if dumped, takes up large amounts of landfill space. Buying quality furniture that will last or reusing, refurbishing or recycling are all more resource-efficient options.
Office furniture can be reused, refurbished or deconstructed for recycling. This protects the environment by reducing demand for timber, metals and plastics, diverting large amounts of waste from landfill and reducing carbon emissions associated with manufacturing.
Recycled office furniture can be much cheaper for businesses to purchase than new furniture. Reusing or recycling furniture is also a visible way to show that your businesses is serious about conservation and waste reduction.
What happens to it?
Furniture that is no longer wanted may be reused, refurbished or recycled, depending on its condition.
Reuse: If furniture is a good condition, second-hand office furniture retailers or charity shops can sell it or pass it on to those in need for reuse.
Refurbish: Furniture that can't be reused immediately will be touched up. This may involve cleaning the furniture, repairing any defects, replacing worn fabric and painting over any scratches. The furniture is then resold.
Recycle: Furniture that is not suitable for reuse is deconstructed, separated into material streams such as metals, plastics, fabrics and timber, and processed accordingly.
Reusing office furniture
If your workplace or business has large quantities of furniture to dispose of, passing them on by donating or selling them will keep the materials used to make the products in use for longer.
GreenChair is a sustainable furniture and goods repurposing program operating across Australia helping businesses reduce their waste to landfill by allocating furniture and other unwanted items during renovation, relocation and demolition to not-for-profit organisations, charities and community groups in need.
Re-Love (formally The Run for Good Project) is a Sydney-based registered charity that supports women and children impacted by domestic violence and homelessness by providing them with good quality rescued furniture and household items. They?rescue high quality furniture at scale from corporate relocations, hotels, furniture suppliers with excess or returned stock and from the local community.
