This week a man in London was reunited with his wedding ring which had been accidentally discarded. Martin Wright was pushing cardboard into the bin in his local supermarket car park, when his white gold ring fell off his finger and dropped inside.
After much thought, his solution was to send a desperate message over twitter to Veolia Environmental Services UK. As it was a Sunday, he held little hope for its retrieval, however, to his (and his wife’s) delight, the bin in question was intercepted and the ring returned to its very grateful owner.
It got us thinking about all of the household and beloved items which may have been discarded over the years, ending up in countless recycling facilities, landfills or worse, destroyed forever!
One could easily assume wedding rings and sentimental jewellery would be the easiest and most common items lurking in unsuspecting bins, but throughout our facilities each year, numerous items including photo albums, beloved toys and keepsakes have turned up; all being searched for by frantic owners.
But it’s not only possessions…ever had that sinking when you realised you’ve thrown away a wedding invite, a child’s very special painting, a photo or a very important piece of paper? It happens in households every day and can result in a lot of tears, and difficult and awkward conversations!
So in an effort to reduce the amount of lost property (and arguments) inadvertently discarded, here are some tips to help you avoid a devastating loss;
- Be mindful of all jewellery on hands which could easily slip off when discarding rubbish
- Keep bins and receptacles away from areas where valuables are stored so they cannot accidentally fall in
- Communicate with all members of your household to make sure there is agreement on discarded items
- Take note of your waste management provider, so that you can be in contact with them should you suspect you have lost an item
- Keep important documentation and paperwork stored away so as to avoid mistaken disposal
Have you ever had an experience where you’ve discarded something accidentally - tell us about it here … and did it end happily?