1-800-GOT-JUNK?: Your friendly neighbourhood junk recyclers
Wondering what happens to your junk when we take it away? Here's how we recycle some of the most common types of junk we come across each day.
At 1-800-GOT-JUNK? We do our best to recycle or donate as many items as possible. We’re always looking for ways to keep junk out of the landfill and we conduct a regular waste stream analysis to see how we’re doing. We recycle the recyclables and donate the donatables, so there is no need to worry that using a junk removal company will have a negative environmental impact.
Every franchise has their own method for sorting recyclables and donatables. Some will sort as they pick up junk and others will wait until the truck is full. Either way, items are consistently being diverted from landfills. Concerned your junk can’t be recycled? Don’t worry!
What is reduce, reuse, recycle?
The story of reduce, reuse, recycle dates back to 1970 when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created. In 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act was introduced to encourage recycling efforts. That’s when the slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle” was born! This catchy slogan has now been embedded into our everyday culture over time. In order to protect our environment, following the three R’s is crucial to ensure your part in making our planet sustainable. When dealing with junk removal, there are three ways 1-800-GOT-JUNK? helps the environment:
1. Reduce
We help reduce the amount of environmental waste that end up in the landfill by diverting items in good condition to charities or donation centers. As a result, every junk removal job is environmentally friendly for our planet!
2. Reuse
When we take away your junk items such as old toys, furniture or appliances, any items that are still usable will be diverted from the landfill. We often work with non-profit organizations such as Second Chance Toys to give back to our communities by not only helping the environment, but donating to a good cause as well.
3. Recycle
For items that we are not able to repurpose, our Truck Team Members make sure to recycle the junk that is hauled away from your house. Common items we recycle include scrap metal parts, pieces of cardboard and even large items like fridges and mattresses.
Reducing, reusing and recycling help the environment in a number of ways:
- Saves natural resources
- Prevents environmental issues resulting from landfill overflow
- Helps save energy
- Prevents pollution
10 common materials that can be recycled
1. Green Waste
Yard trimmings, trees, branches, grass, trunks, shrubbery and brush.
2. Household Items
Food waste, packaging, clothing, light bulbs, magazines, books.
3. Renovation/Construction Debris
Lumber, concrete, asphalt, masonry, wallboard, roofing, insulation, carpeting, fly ash, clay bricks.
4. Metal
Iron, steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel.
5. Glass
Bottles, building glazing, automobile glass.
6. Plastics
Packaging, bottles, empty drums, mixed plastics, HDPE, LDPE, PET. For more information on what these and other recycling codes mean, check out our recycling code guide.
7. Paper/Paperboard
Office paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, paper packaging, phonebooks, medium-density fiberboard, mixed paper.
8. Tires
On-road and off-road vehicle tires.
9. Universal Waste
CRT monitors, computers, electronics, fluorescent tubes, batteries, aerosol cans, personal computers, computer monitors.
10. White Goods
Appliances such stoves, fridges, freezers.
The 4 most frequently recycled items
Of all of the accepted recyclable materials, the the top four items recycled are:
1. Steel
Did you know that steel is the most recycled material in North America? Steel mainly comes from food cans, cars, appliances and commercial construction material. Once recycled, steel can be re-melted.
2. Aluminum cans
This kind of material is 100% recyclable. You may be surprised to know that turning used aluminum cans into new cans uses up to 95% less energy than it takes to make new cans! Other aluminum containing materials include baking tins and foils.
3. Plastic bottles
Bottles are a common material that get recycled and help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Newspapers
In landfills, the decomposition of paper is the biggest contributor to methane which increases greenhouse gas emissions. So when newspapers get recycled, it also helps preserve our forest.
Does 1-800-GOT-JUNK? do donation pickups?
We try to donate all items that are in good condition. We work with community centers, non-profit organizations, donation drives and donation centers to pass on items after hauling them away. This allows us to reduce landfill waste as much as possible and helps place less stress on the environment. If you require our junk removal service for donation pickup, just call 1-800-GOT-JUNK? or book online anytime for a free, no obligation onsite estimate!
If you choose to haul away your junk without the help of a junk removal company like 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, you can still be environmentally friendly. Make sure you consult your local city for information on where to recycle your items.
Frequently asked questions
We price based on how much space your items take up in the back of our truck, broken down into ⅛, ¼, ½, ¾ of a truckload, all the way up to a full truckload. Our trucks hold the equivalent of seven pickup trucks.
Our prices vary based on location and there is a minimum charge for our teams to remove your items, which is different in each location, based on a number of factors, including local disposal and recycling fees.
We offer single item pricing for certain items such as mattresses or TVs, sometimes this will be less than our minimum charge.
For materials that have a heavy cubic weight like dirt, concrete, and gravel, pricing is based on the total volume that the material takes up in the truck, up to a maximum of one foot in height for a full truck.
Watch us load up a truck to see how our standard pricing works!
If you need service weekly, monthly, or quarterly, we offer bulk pricing discounts. This gives you better value compared to common alternatives, such as dumpsters or less professional junk removal services.
Interested? Call our business account team at 1-888-475-3461 to discuss your needs as well as pricing options.
On the day of your appointment with us, our friendly, uniformed truck team members will give you a call or text 25-30 mins before we arrive to let you know we’re on our way.
Whether your business has a single location or multiple locations, we can create a custom junk removal solution that works for you. We can coordinate pickups at multiple locations at a local, regional, and national level. Rather than work with dozens of regional or local companies, let 1-800-GOT-JUNK? handle the jobs across all your locations.
Absolutely! We take large items all the time. As long as it can be lifted and loaded into the truck by two people, we'll be happy to take it away for you!
We work with all types of businesses and can handle any type of job - cleanouts, bulk item removal, general junk removal and even specific items like cardboard or pallets. We can take pretty much anything as long as it's not toxic or hazardous. We can remove your items from wherever they’re located, whether it’s your office, store, site or anywhere else—all you have to do is point!
Yes, we're fully licensed, bonded and insured! We have insurance covering damages to both persons and property for every single booking.
While we don't quite service the entire map, we cover almost every greater metropolitan area across the US, Canada, and Australia. To see if we’re in your neighborhood, you can start a booking by entering your zip code here.
Our customer service center is open 24/7, so we’re here whenever you need us! While operating hours may vary in our franchise locations, we offer same-day and off-hours service, including weekends.
