What we take — and what we can't
A plain guide to what Load & Clear collects across Greater Manchester, what needs a specialist route instead, and the rules behind the difference.
As a licensed waste carrier, we take almost everything a household or business needs cleared — furniture, appliances, mattresses, carpets, garden waste, and general rubbish. A short list of hazardous items — asbestos, chemicals, wet paint, gas bottles, and clinical waste — needs a specialist licensed route instead of a standard collection, which is what the two lists below cover.
What we take
If it needs lifting, loading, or clearing from a house, garden, or commercial unit anywhere in Greater Manchester, chances are it's on this list:
- Furniture — sofas, wardrobes, tables, chests of drawers, bed frames
- Mattresses and divan bases
- Household appliances (WEEE) — washing machines, cookers, dishwashers, tumble dryers
- Fridges and freezers, degassed and recycled correctly
- Carpets, underlay, and laminate flooring
- Bagged and loose general household rubbish
- Garden waste, old fencing, and shed contents
- TVs and other electricals
- Office furniture and commercial equipment
Reuse comes first wherever it can. Furniture, appliances and mattresses in good condition go to reuse partners before anything is recycled or disposed of, and every job is documented with a waste transfer note.
What we can't take on a standard collection
A small number of items need a licensed specialist route rather than a general waste collection — not because we're being cautious, but because the law requires it:
- Asbestos — needs a specialist licensed contractor, not a general waste carrier
- Chemicals and drums of unidentified liquid — hazardous waste route only
- Paint tins with wet paint inside — dry them out first, or take to a household waste site that accepts paint
- Gas bottles and pressurised canisters — return to the supplier or a specialist collector
- Clinical or medical waste — needs a registered clinical waste service
- Asbestos-containing garage or shed roofing sheets — same as asbestos above
Found one of these mid-clearance? Leave it in place and mention it on the contact page — we'll point you to the right licensed route, and it won't hold up the rest of the job.
Two rules worth knowing: POPs and WEEE
Two pieces of regulation explain most of the "why" behind what does and doesn't need special handling. POPs (persistent organic pollutants) rules, in force since 2023, cover upholstered domestic seating — sofas, armchairs, sofa beds — because of flame-retardant chemicals in the foam. That waste can't go into general landfill or a mixed skip; it needs a specialist high-temperature disposal route via a licensed carrier. Full detail is on our sofa removal page.
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) covers anything with a plug or a battery — washing machines, cookers, TVs, and especially fridges and freezers, which also need refrigerant degassing before recycling. See our fridge & freezer disposal and appliance removal pages for how that works.
Licensed waste carriers, every job
Load & Clear is a registered waste broker, and every crew is a licensed waste carrier, fully insured. That matters because handing waste to someone who isn't licensed doesn't discharge your legal duty of care for it — if it's later found fly-tipped, the householder can still be held responsible. Every job, big or small, gets a waste transfer note as proof it was handled properly.
What we take FAQs
What are POPs, and why do they stop you taking some sofas?
POPs stands for persistent organic pollutants — since 2023, waste upholstered domestic seating (most sofas, armchairs, and sofa beds) has been classified as containing POPs because of flame-retardant chemicals commonly used in foam fillings. That means it can’t go into general waste or a mixed skip; it has to be collected and disposed of through a specialist high-temperature route by a licensed waste carrier. We handle this as standard — it’s not an extra step you need to arrange yourself.
What is WEEE, and what falls under it?
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment — anything with a plug or a battery. Washing machines, cookers, fridges, freezers, TVs, and even small electricals like kettles all count. WEEE items can’t legally go into general waste; they’re collected separately and processed at licensed facilities so metals, plastics, and hazardous components are recovered rather than landfilled together.
What should I do if I find something on the restricted list mid-clearance?
Leave it exactly where it is and tell us. A tin of old paint at the back of a shed, a gas bottle in a garage, or a suspect roofing sheet is common in older properties — flag it on the contact page or when you book, and we’ll point you to the right licensed route for that specific item rather than guessing.
Are you actually licensed to carry waste?
Yes. Load & Clear is a registered waste broker and every crew operates as a licensed waste carrier, fully insured. Every job — from a single bag to a full house clearance — comes with a waste transfer note as your legal proof it was disposed of correctly, not fly-tipped.
Will you turn a job away if something restricted turns up unexpectedly?
We’ll pause on that specific item, not the whole job. If a restricted item turns up partway through — an old gas bottle behind a wardrobe, say — everything else still gets cleared as planned, and we’ll advise on the correct route for the one item we can’t take on a standard run.
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