During this year’s Recycle Week (21-27 September) we are celebrating saving 2,000 tonnes of second-hand items from landfill and we are calling on local people to continue putting their unwanted items to good use.
Every year, Emmaus Hertfordshire ensures thousands of items are saved from the waste chain by offering free furniture collections and an affordable house clearance service. In 2019, we saved the weight equivalent of 158 double decker buses from landfill. The money generated from selling donated items helps Emmaus Hertfordshire provide a home, meaningful work, daily support and funded training for people who have experienced homelessness or social exclusion.
The theme for this year’s Recycle Week, which is now in its 17th year, is ‘Together – We Recycle’. Emmaus is keen to spread the word that when an item is donated to the charity, the utmost is done to reuse, recycle or upcycle the item to give it a longer life.
While most items that are donated to Emmaus are sold, if a donated item can’t be sold, re-purposed, upcycled or renovated, the item is processed for recycling. These processes are all done by trained residents, staff and volunteers of Emmaus and includes recycling paper, textiles, plastics, electricals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, wood and much more.
John Chesters, Chief Executive at Emmaus Hertfordshire said:
“We’re asking people to look around their houses, sheds, lofts and garages and think of us if they have any quality furniture, electricals, white goods or household items that they no longer need and donate to Emmaus rather than just putting it out with the rubbish. Although we can’t take smaller items at present, if you are able to hold onto them for now, we will certainly be delighted to receive them in the near future.
“By donating to us at Emmaus Hertfordshire you will be reducing the amount of items that end up in landfill every year while at the same time helping to fund a home, training and meaningful employment for formerly homeless people living right here in Hertfordshire.”
We are currently accepting donations of good quality furniture, electrical items and white goods to sell in its five stores across the region and online. We have temporarily stopped taking donations of clothing, books, toys and bric-a-brac due to COVID-19, but ask that residents keep hold of these items until we can once again take them and put them to good use.
To book a collection of furniture visit www.emmaus.org.uk/hertfordshire. Alternatively, for items that can be dropped off, visit www.emmaus.org.uk/hertfordshire/our-shops/ for details of store locations and opening times.