Government figures show that there are currently over 10 million people employed as office workers in the UK, most of whom will need a desk and a chair.Every year in the UK, more than 1.4 million office desks enter the waste system. Around 200,000 are re-used in some way. The remaining 1.2 million go to landfill, energy recovery or recycling.
Re-use saves over 3,600 tons of CO2 per year.
The figure for office chairs is even higher with an estimated 15 – 20% of chairs in circulation entering the waste chain annually. Only 295,000 (14%) are re-used. The remainder - 1,800,00 chairs - are once again sent to landfill, energy recovery or recycling facilities. Cheaper imported options offer only a short term solution with inevitable replacement or recycling costs. UK businesses spend on average £3billion each year on new office furniture and an amazing £9million on disposing of their unwanted items.