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The United Kingdom dumps more household waste into landfill than any other EU state and is now known as the ‘dustbin of Europe’. Each year an incredible 27 million tonnes of rubbish - that’s over 3,000 tonnes every hour - ends up in a landfill site and according to the Local Government Association, landfill space in the UK could run out as soon as 2016.

Sadly, the majority of what is thrown away every day is reusable and is o­nly in landfill because most people don’t know what else to do with it - the rubbish bin is the easy option. However a Lincoln-based organisation has been providing at least part of the solution by offering a free o­nline service that enables people to recycle their unwanted belongings rather than sending them to landfill.

Don’tDumpThat: an expanding organisation

When Don’tDumpThat started in January 2006, it was o­nly ever meant to provide a service for the people of Lincoln. However, it was so successful that very soon people in other parts of the county were asking to start their own forums and within a couple of months Don’tDumpThat had spread across Lincolnshire and into Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.Today, Don’tDumpThat is over a year old and has over 13,000 members in 124 local forums covering the whole of the United Kingdom - from Dundee to Penzance, Belfast to East Anglia. There are even local forums starting outside of the UK, with local forums appearing in the south of Spain and forum requests being received from right across the globe.

In just over a year, literally tens of thousands of items have been recycled, reused and tonnes kept out of landfill, including some things that perhaps you wouldn’t expect, such as old bricks, children's toys, computers and even cars and caravans. Don’tDumpThat provides a quick, easy, and free way to get rid of things you don’t want without them ending up in a landfill site, so whether it’s a toy car or a real car, a new coat or an old carpet, you don’t have to throw it out: someone, somewhere can probably find a use for it.

So, how does it work?

Don’tDumpThat is simple and easy to use, all you have to do is visit the website www.dontdumpthat.com and find your nearest forum using the interactive map or your postcode. o­nce you’ve found your local forum, register with your email address and you’re ready to go.

Each forum has an ‘Offers’ section and a ‘Wanted’ section, which are divided into a number of categories: clothes, books, toys, electrical goods, car parts, furniture etc (almost anything can be offered o­n a Don’tDumpThat local forum, with just a few exceptions: foodstuffs, animals, alcohol, firearms or anything illegal).

Find the category that best suits the item you’d like to offer and then post a message with a description - you can even add a photo if you like. Then all you have to do is wait for someone to post a message saying they’d like it and arrange a time for them to come and pick it up. Alternatively if you’re looking for something, simply check the easy-to-navigate categories and send your own message asking for the item - or post your own ‘wanted’ ad. It really is that simple!

The forums are well organised and kept nice and tidy by volunteer moderators who ensure that the (few) rules are kept and that everything offered is free, legal and family-friendly.And if you’re stuck you can ask your moderator for help, or email the dedicated support desk.

Make new friends

Don’tDumpThat isn’t just about stopping things ending up in a landfill site. It’s also about helping people get to know other people who share their interests in their local area. The local forums have helped create a real sense of community, providing social contact for members and allowing them to support others in similar circumstances.

What makes Don’tDumpThat different?

One of the main differences between Don’tDumpThat and other similar services is that Don’tDumpThat isn’t just a list of items; everything is broken down into easy-to-navigate sections and categories so that items can be found easily, and so get reused quicker.

As well as being easier to use, Don’tDumpThat is also friendlier to use; it’s more than just a notice board, it’s a community. Every local forum has a number of discussion sections where people can talk about environmental issues, local events, or just what was o­n television the other night. Don’tDumpThat also has a special dedicated discussion forum where members can meet other members from forums around the world.

Many Don’tDumpThat forums also feature ‘Treasure Chests’ - collections of small items such as books, toys or children’s clothes that are passed around between members who can then take and add items to the Chest as they please, perhaps swapping o­ne toy for another.

Can I help out?

Don’tDumpThat is a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers and is always looking for more people to help, particularly those with experience in financial management, marketing or the media. Don’tDumpThat is also seeking sponsorship from businesses with sound environmental policies who are sympathetic to the aims of Don’tDumpThat.

So if you’ve got some spare time and would like to help Don’tDumpThat contribute to protecting the environment, or if you represent an organisation that might be interested in sponsoring Don’tDumpThat then contact volunteering@dontdumpthat.com for more information, or visit the website www.dontdumpthat.com.

What do I do again?

If you’ve got things you don’t want, don’t throw them out, just visit www.dontdumpthat.com, find your local forum, register and then post an advert for whatever you’re trying to get rid of and wait for someone to offer to take it away. And don’t forget to browse and see if there’s anything you’d like.