Facilities should identify a strategy for furniture management and implement pollution prevention opportunities to reduce or eliminate furniture waste. This section provides selected strategies and opportunities to consider in a furniture management program. To ensure appropriate furniture management, sites should develop a plan or strategy to control procurement, use, reuse, and recycle furniture. Facilities should have a process in place to evaluate furniture demand resulting from changes in staff and furniture condition, and facility renovation or construction. While new purchases may be necessary, it is important to take advantage of existing, unused furniture when possible.
Some manufacturers now sell fully recycled furniture.
It may be cheaper to repair or refurbish furniture than to purchase replacements, and it will result in the use of fewer natural resources. Making unneeded furniture available for other users or recycling should be evaluated before furniture is disposed of. Most EPA sites have identified and implemented opportunities to more efficiently manage furniture. These opportunities can be facilitated with assistance from the local GSA office. Some successful opportunities are discussed in this section.