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.

One Size Doesn't Fit All: The Benefits of Resizing and Repurposing Office Desks

By Ida Gorecka • September 8, 2025
Your office transformation is approved. Budget's signed off. New layout's finalised. There's just one problem: those 1600mm executive desks that worked perfectly in the old corner offices are now 400mm too wide for your new collaborative pods. The reception desk you spent £3,000 on last year? It's the wrong height entirely for your rebrand. Most facilities managers would see this as a disposal problem. Skip hire , landfill tax , 12-week lead times for replacements. But what if that's completely backwards? What if the furniture that doesn't fit isn't a problem to solve, but an asset to unlock? Every year in the UK, around 1.2 million desks and 1.8 million office chairs are sent to landfill and only 14 % of them are being reused (Source: WRAP , Lancashire Business View ). Those old, "wrong-sized" desks you're planning to skip? They can be professionally refurbished and resized to your exact specifications in 7-10 days , at 40-70% less than new , with zero waste and a 12-month warranty . This article is for facilities managers, procurement leads, and fit-out teams who want practical, product-focused solutions. You’ll see when resizing and repurposing makes sense, the savings it delivers, the compliance boxes it ticks, and how to roll it out step by step. Curious what your current desks could deliver if resized or refurbished? Book a free assessment - we’ll map options, costs, and timelines for you.

Why Paying More Isn't Always Better: The Smart Choice of Refurbished Ergonomic Chairs

By Ida Gorecka • August 19, 2025
Refitting an office today means juggling a lot: tighter budgets, faster timelines, and pressure to deliver on ESG goals. And when it comes to ergonomic chairs, the one piece of furniture an office team relies on every day, many assume paying more for “new” automatically means better. But that’s no longer true. Refurbished ergonomic chairs offer the same comfort , durability , and support as new, backed by warranties , come with less cost and with far shorter lead times . For facilities and procurement teams, that means more budget freed up for other priorities, and fewer delays holding back your project. At Coggin SOS, we work with organisations that once assumed refurbished meant second-best. Until they saw the results. High-performance, fully warranted ergonomic chairs. Fast delivery. Circular outcomes they could actually report on. And savings of up to 80% compared to new (check out our case studies here ). In this article, you’ll learn what refurbished office chairs really offer in practice, why they’re becoming a preferred option for FM teams and procurement leads, and how your next fit-out or move could be both greener and smarter than you think. Thinking about your next office project? Contact our team and see how premium refurbished ergonomic chairs can give you comfort, savings, and sustainability in one.

Beyond Recycling: The Role of Office Furniture in a Truly Sustainable Economy

By Ida Gorecka • August 7, 2025
If you're here, you're probably managing a lot. A relocation, a refurbishment, or a growing ESG brief. Maybe you’re under pressure to meet sustainability targets, stay on budget, and deliver results your team and clients can actually see. And right now, office furniture might not be on your radar. But it should be. In most organisations, furniture is still treated as an afterthought. It’s functional, it’s bulky, and when it’s no longer needed, it’s often sent straight to landfill. But here’s the truth: when you start thinking of office furniture as a strategic asset within the circular economy , everything changes. For your budget . Your carbon reporting . Your project timelines . Your reputation . This article is for you if you’re tired of defaulting to skips. If you want smarter ways to meet ESG goals without blowing your budget. If you’re ready to make office sustainability a measurable advantage - not just a checkbox. We’ll show you just how much office furniture is wasted each year, what it’s really costing your business, and how the circular economy can apply directly to your projects. You’ll learn how organisations like yours are saving thousands, avoiding skips entirely, and turning unwanted furniture into reportable ESG wins - plus practical steps to get started today. Curious what your office clearance could be worth? Get in touch with our team for a free circular furniture audit.