The most expensive items for EnviRecycle to dispose of include:

1. Asbestos
2. Tyres
3. Fridges/freezers and mattresses
4. Excess DIY waste, such as plasterboard, rubble, and soil

Fortunately for us, most homes no longer have asbestos. Fridges and freezers are the most expensive items we dispose of. We collected over 534 fridges and freezers last year.

Why are fridges expensive to take away?

• They are large and heavy, requiring two men to remove them, which is not a great start. But so is the builders’ waste and rubble.
• Hazardous gas removal
• Specialist recycling
• Bulkier transport
• Legal compliance

No, the reason we have to charge more for freezers and similar white goods is the use of coolant and insulating gases in their cooling units. Old and new fridges work in much the same way. The gases harm the environment if released. This means the cooling units must be removed safely using licensed equipment. This adds cost.

Normally, bulky metal and steel items are simply crushed and then recycled. However, fridges have to be dismantled. So the compressor, oils, plastics, metal, wiring, and hazardous components can be handled properly. Again, this adds to the cost. This is often why you see fridges and freezers on the side of the road fly-tipped.

Tyres

• They cannot just go into a normal landfill.
• They need specialist treatment
• They are bulky and hard to handle

Call car and lorry tyres need permitted processing, and specialist recycling rather than normal disposal. This adds to the cost.

Mattresses

• Bulky
• Hard to process
• Labour-intensive
• Poorly compacted

Single and double mattresses are also expensive to remove. This is because, like fridges, they need to be dismantled to recycle their separate components. Also, they are large and bulky and often take two men to load onto one of our lorries. Many are made of foam, which is also a product that needs careful recycling.

Excess DIY waste, such as plasterboard, rubble, and soil

This is one, our customers can understand why the cost is high. If you have been to your local Surrey/council tip, you might find you are limited to a few bags of rubble (two 50-litre bags or one large item) and will be charged for any more. Not only is this a problem, but rubble and soil are the worst things for your car’s interior and suspension.

Why it can cost more

• It is heavier and more expensive for EnviRecycle transport
• It often needs separate containers and processing
• Plasterboard, especially, cannot just be mixed in with general waste

When we dispose of waste that cannot be recycled and must go into a landfill, such as builders’ rubble, we are charged by the ton, and it is not cheap. However, we believe we offer some of the best value waste clearance of all the companies in Surrey.

When plasterboard breaks down in landfill, the gypsum can create hydrogen sulphide gas. This is a hazard so plasterboard cannot go into landfill.

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