Liberating salvageable items and goods from the residential curbside collection is a common practice in Sydney. You might wake up to see old leather lounge by the curb and believe it would go perfectly in your porch.
Collecting reusable furniture, homeware, and appliances from the residential curbside collection are environmentally friendly. Also, being able to salvage old but usable items encourage upcycling one man’s trash into another man’s treasure. But is it legal to do so?
What Does the Law Say?
The rules around taking items left for curbside collection are entirely up to the local council. Some cities in Australia have by-laws that prevent this activity, but most of them say that residential curbside junk for council collection is fair game.
In fact, Sydney’s legal advice is that anyone who picks up solid junk for rubbish collection is doing so at their own risk. That is, you can take any junk by the curb that you’d want to reuse, as long as you don’t blame the council and homeowners for any accidents or injuries resulting from your venture.
What To Do if I Find Something I Like?
Aside from the fact that Sydney allows its residents to salvage others’ junk, there are certain etiquettes you should follow.
If you spy something in a pile that you’d like to reuse, as a courtesy you should contact the homeowners and seek permission before taking it. Also, you must be careful when picking up anybody else’s junk and avoid breaking anything.
Additionally, households are instructed to sort their items into separate piles and bins for a faster collection process. So if you would displace a few furniture, whitegoods, and mattresses to reach something else, make sure to them back the way you found them.
Also, remember that picking up curbside junk exposes your self to several health risks, so take care when handling sharp and breakable items such as glass and broken furniture. As much as possible, you should wear protective gear such as gloves, to avoid contacting bacteria and viruses from other filthy rubbish.
Speaking of health risks, there are items that you can’t take from the piles of junk. Not because it is illegal, but the risks could simply outweigh the benefits.
What You Can’t Take From Curbside Junk
Aside from valuable finds, there are a lot of second-hand items that could mean more trouble than they’re worth. Used mattresses and beddings could become habitats for head lice, pubic lice, bed bugs, as well as fungi.
Moreover, furniture made of cheap wood materials such as medium-density fibreboards (MDF) and chipboards is harder to reinforce and renovate than solid wood. Typically, these types of furniture have laminated surfaces, but they are built from timber fibres glued together.
On the other hand, if you want to get rid of some old furniture, you should think about other options first before putting them out for curbside collection. Most rubbish from the residential curbside collection goes straight to landfills. But there are far better ways for your junk to get a long way.
The Best Alternative
Before throwing away old items, consider whether someone else could still use them first. You could ask your neighbours and family, or donate it to the local charity. How about holding a garage sale?
But if you want a fast and efficient way to get rid of them, Paul’s Rubbish Removal is the answer to your plight.
Paul’s Rubbish Removal is a reputable rubbish removal company in Sydney that plays a huge role in preserving the environment. Our vast network of recycling facilities diverts as much waste from landfills as possible. We make sure that all of the rubbish we collect are recycled or disposed of in the most eco-friendly method.
Call Paul’s Rubbish Removal in Sydney on 0407 125 125 for a cheap and well-priced rubbish removal service.
