Plumbs Urge UK to Help Reduce Landfill Waste

The European Commission reported yesterday that despite the UK’s best efforts to reduce landfill waste, we are still lagging behind our European Counterparts. Plumbs Loose Covers and Re-upholstery Specialists urge the nation to help by not throwing away old, tired furniture.

The recent report reveals how the UK sent 48% of waste to landfill in 2010, a far cry behind neighbouring countries such as Germany and Belgium, who sent less than 3%. The news comes despite steps being enforced to reduce the amount of waste produced.

Sarah Page, managing director of Plumbs, explains the part furniture has to play in the UK’s landfills,

“According to furniture recycling statistics sourced from Bulky Waste Collection Services, 10 million items of furniture are thrown away each year in the UK. Almost a third of this can be easily reused, and even more could be repaired.”

Championing the urgency to ‘make do and mend’, Plumbs have been helping the UK to repair, re-cover and re-upholster their old, worn down furniture for over 60 years.Sarah Page continues:

“It is such a great shame to hear of the astronomical amount of furniture that is being thrown away in Britain. With a little care and attention, many items, even those that may seem beyond rescue, can be made into such beautiful pieces once again.” She continues, “There is so much great potential being lost in landfill!”

Plumbs, strong believers in the ability to save furniture from landfill, urge the nation to reconsider before discarding old furniture. Frequently toted by the family-run business, loose covers can help breath new life into old, tired furniture.

Alongside loose furniture covers, Plumbs also offer a full re-upholstery service for furniture that has weakened structurally over time, or that has unique design features. Sarah Page explains more about the service:

“A traditional craftsman will strip down old furniture to the frame, strengthening and repairing the internal structure where necessary. On completion of repairs, the furniture is re-upholstered in one of our hundreds of fabrics and returned looking as new.”

The recent European Commissions report highlights the imminent threat of landfill space running out. Plumbs continue to highlight the benefits of loose furniture cover and re-upholstery services, and endeavour to help decrease the number of sofas, chairs and suites from being left to landfill. The company are currently working on revitalising their sister website Save Our Sofas, in an effort to raise awareness of the increasing landfill problem.

-ENDS-

About Plumbs:

Plumbs have around 150 Home Consultants who will visit homes free of charge. The Home Consultants can recommend an appropriate loose covers solution and advise on room colour co-ordination and any other home furnishings such as upholstery, lose covers for sofas, cushion covers and curtains.

Plumbs have over 350 different upholstery fabric designs and colours to choose from, and a range of materials to suit any piece of furniture.