Disposing of a toilet is not something that homeowners do every day, or even every year. In fact, this may be your first time coming upon this problem. But no toilet is built to last forever. Maybe yours broke and needed to be replaced or maybe you decided to upgrade to a more water efficient model. Maybe you’re undergoing a bathroom remodel and your toilet is one of the things that had to go. Now the question becomes, “What do I do with this old toilet?”
Fortunately, you have a few options here:
Ask About Curbside Pickup
Trash and recycling companies have varied policies when it comes to the pickup of old toilets, so it’s best to call ahead and check. Some will accept an old toilet placed next to the trash can at the curb, while others require notice first or will refuse it. Regardless, it’s important to know whether you have the option before you move on to one of the other methods for disposing of your old toilet.
Landfills and Solid Waste Transfer
If you’re not able to dispose of your old toilet through curbside pickup, another option is to bring it to your city’s landfill yourself. Not every region has a landfill, so it’s important to do your research first. If there’s no landfill, you can take your old toilet to your solid waste disposal company’s transfer station, from which point the company will deliver the toilet to a landfill.
For many homeowners, these are less than ideal options, as the state of landfills in this country is already problematic to the environment. Fortunately, there are some landfill-free options for toilet disposal.
Recycle
You likely won’t be able to recycle your old toilet as simply as placing it beside your recycling bin. However, there are recycling companies that accept porcelain. If yours does not, consider asking your local water authority for recommendations on the nearest company that accepts old toilets. There may be a fee to accept them, so make sure you compare a few options so that you pay as little as possible to recycle your old toilet. You can also list your old toilet on Freecycle and arrange a time and place for your toilet to be picked up.
Donate to Charity
If your old toilet is still functional, you can also donate it. Habitat for Humanity is the main company that accepts used building materials as long as they’re still usable. By dropping your toilet off at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you can be sure it goes to good use without having to worry about recycling guidelines or the concern that you’re contributing to a landfill.
Need help or advice for disposing of your old toilet? Contact Brazos Valley Trash Valet & Recycling today! We can answer any questions about toilet disposal as well as help with your other pressing waste management issues. We offer weekly trash pick-up and complimentary single stream recycling for just $21.95/month.
