We're on a mission
Waste Nott Want Nott is wholly owned by Operation Orphan, a charity that exists to support vulnerable and orphaned children in the UK and across the world.
One of the problems that Operation Orphan is seeking to change in the UK is bed poverty, which led us head-first into another major problem that faces us: the millions of mattresses that are put into landfill every year in the UK alone.
Waste Nott Want Nott seeks to help tackle both of these issues with our bulky waste recycling service. We are also on the path to creating a more sustainable source of mattresses for children in the UK.
So you can rest assured that by choosing WNWN, you're tackling bed poverty, supporting Operation Orphan's broader goals, and reducing landfill waste.
Ever wondered where your old mattress ends up?
- Over 7.3 million mattresses are disposed of each year in the UK.
- Currently only around 20% of these are recycled – 1.4 million.
- That means nearly 6 million mattresses are being sent to landfill or incinerated every year.
- Mattresses take up 10 times more landfill space compared to other wastes.
(Source: End of Life Mattress Report 2019, Oakdene Hollins and Bed Advice UK)
70% of a sprung mattress is metal. By extracting the metal, and not burying it, means the requirement to mine and process new product is reduced. Recycling the millions of sprung mattresses disposed of each year will have a sizeable impact on carbon emissions, significantly reducing the environmental impact.
What do we do with the items?
Our main business is ensuring end-of-life bulky waste is recycled properly and the raw materials are used to manufacture new products or to generate energy. Our goal is that nothing ends up in landfill.
However before they enter the recycling process, items that are still in excellent condition are offered to Operation Orphan, who through their UK project Forget-Me-Notts, donate these items to vulnerable families. The Forget-Me-Notts team only take and install items that have been requested by social workers.
End-of-life mattresses are hand-stripped at our facility and separated components are recycled or turned into Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), which is used to manufacture cement.
End-of-life sofas are recycled in accordance with the new POP’s regulations. This means they have to be shredded and incinerated as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). Sofas are not allowed to go to landfill.
End-of-life fridges and TVs are recycled by one of the largest and most reputable electronic recycling companies. This means that all hazardous elements in these products do not negatively impact the environment.
All wood and metal is separated and recycled into new products or used as a source of energy.
All of our recycling partners understand and support the objectives of the business and in their own way, contribute to help us help the children.
How we work
We work with domestic customers and commercial clients by charging a fair and transparent price to collect and recycle bulky waste items.
The fees cover transport, operating and recycling costs and include a percentage that we pass on to Operation Orphan that directly benefits the children.
We offset our carbon by planting trees in Mutare Zimbabwe through the Sakubva River rehabilitation scheme.
In action
