However, I am really sad that most councils seem to have done away with them. I know they offer collections at the times you need them but I love everyone putting their stuff out at the same time and people going through to get what they want/need. I know that the streets look really bad for the week or so beforehand but to me it is the ultimate form of recycling. I have picked up quite a few things over time and have had friends collect stuff on my behalf when they know there is something in particular I need.
I have one friend who has made money selling stuff that she has found put out for hard rubbish. Another got a coffee machine that retails for quite a bit of money but spent a little on getting it repaired and it worked a treat for years.
Some of my hard rubbish treasures over the years:
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| Sand pit/pool |
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| Car. In the background is a stove/washing machine/dryer which has been through a few friends but was also a hard rubbish find! |
I would love to hear your thoughts on Hard Rubbish and maybe some of your great finds. Good, bad or indifferent?
We don't have them over here any longer, in fact, the alternative to those was skips placed at various ''collection'' points around and about, and these have now been ceased too - health and safety you know! You now need to phone the council to book a collection, at £21 for 3 items.....revenue raising at it's best. Testimony to bureaucratic nature of society here, it is actually illegal to go through hard rubbish collections (when they did have them) although it never stopped anyone, just sent the actual removal part to the dead of night, when everyone else was out doing it too. LOL In their vain attempt to save money, the Councils here have made extensive 'bring your stuff to us' type refuse stations. Great if you have a vehicle large enough and the hands/strength/ability to do so. It also has the opposite effect, if you hire a skip to remove ground spoil, rubble etc, you don't leave it uncovered in an exposed area or you will wake up the next morning to find it full of things others don't want! Freecycle is huge over here, and on the island we have 'swish' gatherings, where you take your unwanted, but still reusable, decent condition stuff and receive tokens - which can then be used to ''purchase'' other items from those who have also put things in. Currently you take the stuff back that isn't recycled that way, but we have started arranging a collection from a local charity for a great deal of the items.
ReplyDeleteYeah the fun police also tried to say that you couldn't take anything once it was placed on the nature strip as it was then council property. Luckily the councils here offer 2 free collections per year (so same as before but when convenient to you). I also love using freecycle and other methods too. I love the idea of your gatherings. Kind of like a free for all swap meet!!
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