The Hidden Costs of Landfill: Why Recycling Office Furniture Saves Money

Ida Gorecka • December 3, 2024

As an office removal specialist, you're no stranger to the mountains of furniture and equipment that accumulate during a typical relocation project. Desks, chairs, filing cabinets - it's a constant stream of waste that can quickly add up, both in terms of disposal costs and environmental impact.


But what if we told you there's a better way? At Coggin SOS, we believe that instead of sending all that office furniture to the landfill, we can work together to find smarter, more sustainable solutions that benefit your business, your clients, and the planet.

The Real Cost of Sending Office Furniture to Landfill in the UK

When you factor in the expenses associated with landfill disposal, the economics quickly become untenable. Consider the sheer volume of office furniture that ends up in landfills each year - the UK discards approximately 1.2 million chairs and 1.8 million desks annually. The cost of transporting and processing all of that waste adds up fast. 


In fact, the average cost of landfill disposal in the UK ranges from £80 to £120 per ton of waste. For a typical office clearance that might involve 10 tons of furniture, those charges can easily reach £800 to £1,200.


Then there are the landfill fees themselves, which can vary widely depending on your location but are generally on the rise as environmental regulations tighten. In some regions, you could be looking at upwards of £100 per ton of waste. For a typical office clearance, those charges can easily reach four figures or more.


But the real cost of landfill goes beyond just the monetary toll. There's also the environmental impact to consider. The manufacturing of new office furniture from virgin materials is an energy-intensive process, generating considerable carbon emissions throughout the supply chain.


Our goal at Coggin SOS is to eliminate these costs for your business. Contact us today to explore how we give new life to office furniture, saving you money and reducing your carbon footprint.

A More Sustainable Approach to Office Furniture Disposal

At Coggin SOS, we provide a tailored recycling and refurbishment service to transform your office clearances into sustainable, cost-effective operations. We assess each piece, identifying items for refurbishment and responsibly recycling others. Here's how partnering with us benefits your business:


Avoiding Disposal Fees

When you collaborate with our team, you sidestep the hefty fees associated with landfill disposal. We handle the entire furniture clearance process, recycling or refurbishing every item to ensure zero waste ends up in the landfill. This directly translates to cost savings that boost your bottom line.


Attracting Eco-Conscious Clients

Corporate clients increasingly demand green solutions. By choosing Coggin SOS, you position yourself as the go-to partner for environmentally responsible waste management, differentiating your services from competitors.


Reducing Relocation Hassles

With our on-site processes, you streamline operations, reduce labour, and avoid logistical complications. We coordinate everything, reducing risks of delays, so you can keep relocation projects on track.

Working Alongside Office Removal Teams for 100% Recycling

We know that efficiency and simplicity are key for your team. That’s why our services are designed to integrate seamlessly into your operations. Together, we can achieve 100% recycling of materials. Here's how:


Collection and Assessment


Our trained professionals assess your office furniture to determine what can be refurbished or recycled. This upfront evaluation maximises resource recovery, ensuring we get the most out of your materials.

Processing and Recycling of Office Waste


Once collected, furniture is broken down into components that can be reused or recycled. We make it our mission to ensure valuable resources are redirected back into the economy, minimising waste in the process.

Local Processing of Office Furniture


All processing occurs at our dedicated facility in the UK. This not only reduces transportation emissions but also supports local job creation, reinforcing our commitment to the community.

We believe in transparency and are excited to showcase our facilities and work to you. Everything we do is aimed at making our recycling process clear and accessible. Our dedicated team of recyclers and refurbishers is passionate about what they do, ensuring that every item is handled with care. Interested in our process? Reach out to us to arrange a facility tour!

Reporting on Collections and Orders for Compliance Management

One of the advantages of partnering with Coggin SOS is our comprehensive reporting system. After every collection, we provide you with detailed reports and certificates outlining the materials diverted from landfills. This not only demonstrates your commitment to sustainability but also helps you in compliance management.


These reports serve as proof of your organisation’s efforts to reduce waste and carbon emissions. They can be easily shared with clients and stakeholders, showcasing your dedication to responsible waste management and your role in fostering a sustainable future. For more information, contact us here.

Collaborating to Reduce Office Furniture Waste

We understand that creating a sustainable future requires collaboration. We’re here to support you every step of the way. We can confirm that we can take all your office waste and provide comprehensive reports for every job completed, allowing you to celebrate your success. Your partnership with us can lead to innovative solutions that not only enhance your business’s sustainability practices but also set a standard for others to follow.


To begin redefining your office waste management, contact us today.

Why Buying Cheap Costs More: The Long-Term Value of Quality Refurbished Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 30, 2025
You’re in the middle of planning an office space. Budgets are tight. Lead times are short. It’s tempting to type “cheap office chairs” into your browser and find something that fits the spreadsheet. But here’s the problem: cheap furniture is rarely cheap in the long run . The market is saturated with budget desks, chairs, and storage that look good online, but fall apart in practice. And when they do, they cost more - more to replace, more to dispose of, more to fix (if that’s even possible), and more in lost time and productivity. It’s a vicious cycle that undermines your budget, timeline, and any potential ESG goals. According to WRAP , the UK disposes of over 200,000 tonnes of office furniture every year - much of it barely used. When furniture fails quickly, so does your investment. In a commercial setting, that failure shows up in missed deadlines, spiralling budgets, and sustainability goals slipping out of reach. So before you hit "order" on another bulk buy of flat-packed furniture, take a moment. In this article, you'll learn the hidden costs of cheap office furniture and why refurbished premium office furniture is the smarter alternative. If you're looking to reduce hassle, save money, and build a workspace that actually lasts, keep on reading. Need help getting started? Get in touch with our team for advice, audits, or to browse our refurbished stock .

Refurbished Office Furniture Saves Overbury Over £2000 on Site Setup Costs

By Ida Gorecka • July 18, 2025
Anyone who's worked in construction knows that site setup costs can quickly spiral. For Overbury , one of the UK's leading fit-out and refurbishment specialists, managing these costs while maintaining professional standards is a constant balancing act. When setting up their latest construction site office, they faced a challenge familiar to many in the industry: creating a functional workspace quickly and cost-effectively. After seeing what we achieved together on their previous project, Overbury approached us with clear priorities - they needed a professional office setup delivered on a construction timeline. With tight deadlines to meet and costs to manage, they needed their office space ready quickly while avoiding the expense and environmental impact of buying new office furniture. Like many construction projects, this one came with complex requirements - specific layouts, tight timelines, and budget constraints - yet Overbury knew from experience that refurbished office furniture could deliver exactly what they needed.

From Purchase to Repurpose: How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Office Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 16, 2025
If you're managing an office move, refit, or hybrid transition, you've likely faced this question: do we buy new furniture, or make use of what we have? Every year, over 1.2 million desks and 1.8 million office chairs are sent to landfill in the UK- enough to fill Wembley Stadium twice. ( Source: WRAP ) With Landfill Tax raised to £126.15 per tonne in April 2025 (S ource: UK Government ), the cost of disposing office furniture is increasing fast. If you’re trying to balance budgets , meet ESG goals , and minimise downtime , choosing refurbishment over replacement could be the most strategic decision you make this year. In this guide, we’ll show you how to get more from what you already own. Saving thousands, supporting your ESG goals, and creating a more flexible, future-proof workspace. Got a project coming up? Get in touch and we’ll help you explore your refurbishment options.