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Expert shares environmentally friendly ways to dispose of appliances
Appliance trends often sweep the UK off their feet. From the air fryer take-over in 2022 to Drew Barrymore’s new appliance range, non-trendy appliances are naturally unwanted in homes.
Whether in working condition or not, UK households produce more than 400,000 tonnes of e-waste yearly. The country produces six million tonnes of e-waste every year. Only 31 percent of this is recycled. This makes the UK the second largest producer of e-waste per person worldwide.
To achieve the government's ambition of being the first generation to leave this earth in a better state than inherited, we must put appliance recycling and repurposing on the agenda.
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Here I share how to dispose of appliances in the most eco-friendly way.
Upcycle and repurpose your appliances
One of the greenest ways you could put your old appliances to good use is to upcycle or repurpose them for your own home.
For instance, if your dishwasher or refrigerator is still in working order but has seen a few scratches, a coat of paint could bring it back to life. If the surface is efficiently prepared, appliance owners will be able to transform their appliances with trending colours, patterns and more.
You will be able to upcycle your appliances with handles, different shelving solutions and more to ensure that it elevates the harmony of your home.
If your appliances are not functional anymore, you may be able to re-purpose them into something new. As an example, old fridges make a fantastic plant patch, and the drum of the washing machine can also act as a fire pit. With lots of creative ways at your disposal, ensure that you put your old appliance to good use.
Recycling centres and old appliance collection
Recycling centres are a fantastic way to dispose of old appliances for free if you have a vehicle at hand. Once you have booked your free slot, you can dispose of your appliance to ensure that it gets recycled in the most efficient ways possible.
If you do not own a car, you will also be able to opt in for recycling with some appliance providers. This will ensure that when your new appliance is dropped off, the old one is taken away for efficient recycling.
Gift them to friends or family
As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. If during your annual spring clean, you find that there is no need for a particular appliance anymore, consider gifting it away.
You may find that gifting your toaster, washer-dryer or old fridge may become of extreme use for some. Gifting away to friends and family will allow these appliances to have a longer shelf life, reducing the mass consumption of appliances in the UK.
Utilise networks such as Freecycle or Facebook Marketplace to post your appliance available to collect for free if your friends or family don’t require a new washing machine.
Your old appliance may find a perfect home in someone else's house, and you’ll be helping your local community.
If your chosen appliance is an unwanted Christmas present or is still relatively new, you may consider selling it on platforms such as eBay or Gumtree.
Donate to charity
Lastly, charities could also be a perfect option to ensure that your old appliances can live on and be reused. Charities such as the British Heart Foundation and Red Cross accept appliance donations, and with some charities, you can even book a free collection, so they’ll arrange the transport of these.
Charity networks such as the Reuse Network have a specific purpose within the community, ensuring that no one is left without a cooker and other household essentials.
By utilising platforms like these, useable household items are diverted from landfill to low-income households, whilst saving the environment by reducing CO2 emissions.
Matt Ayres, Appliance Expert
