What to Do With Old Commercial Equipment

Businesses accumulate equipment.

Sometimes it’s replaced because it’s broken. Sometimes a company upgrades to newer machinery. Other times, equipment is left behind after a warehouse move, renovation, business closure, or change in operations.

The problem is that commercial equipment is rarely small, light, or easy to get rid of.

An old conveyor belt, industrial machine, commercial appliance, shelving unit, or piece of warehouse equipment can sit around for months simply because nobody knows what to do with it.

So, what are your options?

Start by Figuring Out What You Have

Before moving anything, take a quick inventory.

Look at the type of equipment, its size, condition, materials, and whether it still has any practical use.

For example, you may have:

• Industrial machinery
• Conveyor belts and components
• Commercial appliances
• Warehouse shelving and racking
• Processing or production equipment
• Large tools and shop equipment
• Office and commercial furniture
• Metal equipment and fixtures
• Outdated or damaged equipment
• Equipment left behind after a business closure

Knowing what you’re dealing with makes it easier to determine whether something can be reused, recycled, recovered, donated, or needs to be disposed of.

Can Old Commercial Equipment Be Recycled?

Often, yes.

Commercial equipment can contain valuable materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, and other recoverable components.

Instead of sending an entire piece of equipment directly to landfill, materials may be separated and directed toward appropriate recycling or recovery streams.

This is particularly important for businesses replacing large amounts of equipment during a renovation, warehouse relocation, or facility upgrade.

Recycle It Canada’s Commercial & Industrial Recycling services help businesses manage recyclable and recoverable materials from commercial and industrial properties.

What About Equipment That Is Still Usable?

Not everything needs to be thrown away.

If equipment is still functional, businesses may be able to sell it, donate it, repurpose it, or find another use for it.

Even equipment that is no longer useful to one business may have value somewhere else.

The first question shouldn’t always be, “How do we dispose of this?”

Sometimes it’s, “Does this still have a use?”

When Equipment Is Too Large or Awkward

This is where things can get complicated.

Moving a piece of commercial equipment isn’t the same as taking a few boxes to the transfer station.

Large machinery, appliances, industrial components, conveyor systems, heavy metal items, and other oversized materials may require additional labour, equipment, transportation, and planning.

We’ve handled plenty of the jobs that don’t fit neatly into a standard waste category. Sometimes the challenge isn’t figuring out what the item is. It’s figuring out how to physically get it out of the building.

What About Old Warehouse Racking and Shelving?

Warehouse racking and shelving can become another headache during a facility move or upgrade.

Once the equipment is no longer needed, it can take up a surprising amount of floor space while waiting to be dismantled and removed.

Depending on the material and condition, racking, shelving, and other metal components may be suitable for recycling.

If you’re already clearing out an entire warehouse, it may make sense to deal with the racking, pallets, equipment, and other unwanted materials as part of the same project.

Our previous article, Commercial Cleanup: What’s Taking Up Space?, looks at some of the common materials that accumulate in warehouses and commercial properties.

Don’t Forget About What’s Inside the Equipment

An important consideration is what the equipment has been used for.

Old equipment may contain oils, chemicals, batteries, refrigerants, or other materials that require specialized handling.

Those materials should not automatically be treated as regular commercial waste.

Recycle It Canada focuses on non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste diversion. If hazardous materials are involved, our sister company, TakeMyHazWaste, specializes in hazardous waste services and can help with the appropriate handling.

Knowing the difference before everything gets loaded can save time, prevent unnecessary complications, and make sure each material ends up in the right waste stream.

Where Can Businesses Get Rid of Old Equipment?

For businesses in Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, Langley, and throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, the right solution depends on the equipment and the size of the project.

For larger commercial equipment removal projects, it can be more practical to have the materials assessed, removed, sorted, and transported as part of one coordinated project.

Recycle It Canada is based in Surrey, BC, and works with commercial and industrial clients throughout Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and beyond.

Before You Send It to the Dumpster

Old commercial equipment doesn’t necessarily belong in the garbage.

Before disposing of it, consider:

Can it be reused?
Could another department, facility, business, or organization use it?

Can it be recycled?
Does it contain metal or other recoverable materials?

Does it need to be dismantled?
Large equipment may need to be broken down before it can be safely moved.

Does it contain anything requiring special handling?
Check for batteries, oils, chemicals, refrigerants, or other materials before disposal.

Is there more than one type of material involved?
If you’re clearing an entire facility, separating materials can make the overall project more efficient.

Clearing Out Old Equipment?

Getting rid of old commercial equipment shouldn’t have to become another project on your project list.

Whether you’re upgrading a warehouse in Surrey, relocating a business in Vancouver, clearing an industrial facility in Langley, or preparing a commercial property elsewhere in the Fraser Valley, understanding your options before everything goes into a dumpster can help recover more materials and reduce unnecessary landfill waste.

Recycle It Canada provides commercial equipment removal, industrial recycling, commercial junk removal, and non-hazardous waste diversion services throughout Surrey, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and beyond.

If you have equipment that’s taking up valuable space and you’re not sure what to do with it, contact Recycle It Canada to discuss the project.